Stop Majoring on Minor Things.
“Stop majoring on minor things.”
That phrase hit me like a mic drop. I wasn’t in a seminar. I wasn’t watching some viral video. It came from an acquaintance—someone I barely knew. We were mid-conversation about work, stress, and a project I was obsessing over. I was frustrated about a tiny detail that wasn’t going perfectly. That’s when he looked at me and said it:
“Mark, you’ve got to stop majoring on minor things.”
Boom. That phrase lodged itself into my brain and never left.
And it taught me something I wish I’d learned a decade earlier: if you want to know how to stop overthinking, start by letting go of the small stuff that doesn’t matter.
I used to think I was being thorough, being professional—even perfectionist. But I wasn’t. I was just overthinking. Big time. And it wasn’t helping anyone—not my clients, not my team, and definitely not me.
Let me give you an example. I once spent two entire days editing a 45-second trivia video intro. Two days. For a video that played once at the start of an event. Not a soul noticed the transitions I agonized over. Nobody commented on the perfect music timing. It didn’t add value—it just stole my time and mental energy. That’s when I realized: I was chasing perfection in all the wrong places.
Whether it was radio, live trivia, or even founding my own country (shoutout to Slowjamastan), I’ve had a long history of giving major time to minor things. And the worst part? It wasn’t about the task—it was about how I was thinking. I was caught in the loop so many of us struggle with: overthinking instead of deciding.
So, how do you stop overthinking?
It starts with asking better questions. Like:
Will this matter in a week?
Am I solving a real problem or creating one?
Is this moving me forward or just making me feel busy?
When I finally got honest with myself, I saw the pattern—and broke it. I started focusing on what actually matters: delivering value, making progress, connecting with people, and showing up fully for the moments that count.
As a motivational speaker and national trivia host, I now use that mindset to guide everything I do. My shows are high energy, full of collaboration and connection—not because I obsess over every frame of video, but because I’ve stopped majoring on the minors. I’ve learned how to stop overthinking, and that shift has given me back time, creativity, and clarity.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or paralyzed by indecision—trust me, I get it. But here’s your permission slip to let go. You don’t need to perfect everything. You need to act, decide, and keep going.
Focus on what actually matters. Let go of the rest.
P.S. I’m also the Chief Border Agent of Slowjamastan, the only nation in the world where Crocs are banned, tacos are taken seriously, and string cheese must be eaten correctly. Even in a satirical country, we know the secret to sanity is simple: don’t sweat the small stuff. And if you’re wondering how to stop overthinking, come visit. We’ve got a law against it.
