--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you overthink at the wrong moment…" description: "\"“When you overthink at the wrong moment, you cut yourself off from the wisdom of your emotions, which are much better at assessing actual preferences. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/jonah-lehrer-9286_ruins_when-you-overthink-at-the-wrong-moment-y_2078184.png" --- # When you overthink at the wrong moment, you cut yourself… ![“When you overthink at the wrong moment, you cut yourself off from the wisdom of your emotions, which are much better at assessing actual preferences. You lose the ability to know what you really want. And then you choose the worst strawberry jam.” quote by Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/jonah-lehrer-9286_ruins_when-you-overthink-at-the-wrong-moment-y_2078184.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/jonah-lehrer-9286_ruins_when-you-overthink-at-the-wrong-moment-y_2078184.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/jonah-lehrer-9286_ruins_when-you-overthink-at-the-wrong-moment-y_2078184.png) > ““When you overthink at the wrong moment, you cut yourself off from the wisdom of your emotions, which are much better at assessing actual preferences. You lose the ability to know what you really want. And then you choose the worst strawberry jam.”” [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Overthinking at in times blocks emotional insight, leading to poor decisions like choosing the wrong strawberry jam. **In simple terms:** Overthinking blocks feelings, causing bad choices. Key Takeaway Trust emotions when timing is right. Themes psychology decision making self-awareness Mood thoughtful analytical Type advice reflective When to use this quote - personal decisions - creative work - stress management - relationship choices Key Concepts Cognitive bias emotional intelligence intuition Questions to Reflect On - When should you rely on gut feeling versus analysis? - How can you prevent overthinking? A Different Perspective Emotions can be misleading if not properly integrated with rational thought. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cut Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cut-wisdom-3584171/) [Emotions Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions-better-912506/) [Lose Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lose-ability/) [Overthink Wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overthink-wrong-4044670/) [Ruins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruins/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wrong Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-moment-1805940/) ## Related quotes > [First, cut out all the wisdom, then cut out all the adjectives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/first-cut-out-all-the-wisdom-then-cut-out-all-the-adjectives/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“If the partridge didn't call at the wrong moment, Neither the hunter nor the falcon would know of it. It follows from this point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahman-baba/if-the-partridge-didn-t-call-at-the-wrong-moment-neither-the-hunter/) [Rahman Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahman-baba/) > [Things only ever go wrong at the last moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jd-boatwood/things-only-ever-go-wrong-at-the-last-moment/) [JD Boatwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jd-boatwood/) > [When some things go wrong, take a moment to be thankful for the things still going right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-some-things-go-wrong-take-a-moment-to-be-thankful-for-the-things/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When some things go wrong, take a moment to be thankful for the many more things that are still going right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-some-things-go-wrong-take-a-moment-to-be-thankful-for-the-many/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's not that the people are bad but it's the situation which ruins the thoughts of the people. The situation where we forget what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debolina-bhawal/it-s-not-that-the-people-are-bad-but-it-s-the-situation-which-ruins/) [Debolina Bhawal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debolina-bhawal/) > [The great thing about knowing you're wrong is the moment you realize it, you're right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/the-great-thing-about-knowing-you-re-wrong-is-the-moment-you-realize/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [I guarantee you I will win if I was ever wrong this moment ain't it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-cudi/i-guarantee-you-i-will-win-if-i-was-ever-wrong-this-moment-ain-t-it/) [Kid Cudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-cudi/) > [When somethings go wrong take a moment to be thankful for the many more things that are still going right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-madison/when-somethings-go-wrong-take-a-moment-to-be-thankful-for-the-many/) [Victoria Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-madison/) > [Even people who have Faith, sometimes experience anxiety, but Faith just helps us to cope with our negative emotions better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jreyes/even-people-who-have-faith-sometimes-experience-anxiety-but-faith/) [JREYES](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jreyes/) > [Being vice-captain at Chelsea, I've learned to manage my emotions better this season and have matured massively, but part of that is embracing those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millie-bright/being-vice-captain-at-chelsea-i-ve-learned-to-manage-my-emotions/) [Millie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millie-bright/) > [Shouldn't your ex be your motivation to do better in life? Why sit around crying over him/her? Show them that you're stronger without them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-malara/shouldn-t-your-ex-be-your-motivation-to-do-better-in-life-why-sit/) [Michael Malara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-malara/) > [“The most painful emotions are better than none at all. Ironically, we make you human.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsey-sutton/the-most-painful-emotions-are-better-than-none-at-all-ironically-we/) [Kelsey Sutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsey-sutton/) > [Sometimes things happen that are out of your control, and rather than wasting your energy on negative emotions, its better to just accept that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/sometimes-things-happen-that-are-out-of-your-control-and-rather-than/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [Although the general format of a reality show requires judges to dish out the nastiest criticisms possible, we are only human, after all. Sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sudha-chandran/although-the-general-format-of-a-reality-show-requires-judges-to-dish/) [Sudha Chandran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sudha-chandran/) ## More by Jonah Lehrer > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [“When the mind is denied the emotional sting of losing , it never figures out how to win.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/when-the-mind-is-denied-the-emotional-sting-of-losing-it-never/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [“Insights, after all, come from the overlap between seemingly unrelated thoughts. They emerge when concepts are transposed, when the rules of one place are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/insights-after-all-come-from-the-overlap-between-seemingly-unrelated/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [“Every brilliant experiment, like every great work of art, starts with an act of imagination. Unfortunately, our current culture subscribes to a very narrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/every-brilliant-experiment-like-every-great-work-of-art-starts-with/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [“You break out of the box by stepping into shackles. From Imagine: How Creativity Works pg 23 (hardcover)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/you-break-out-of-the-box-by-stepping-into-shackles-from-imagine-how/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [So let's not pretend that travel is always fun. We don't spend 10 hours lost in the Louvre because we like it, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/so-let-s-not-pretend-that-travel-is-always-fun-we-don-t-spend-10/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [“In fact, most of us see perseverance as a distinctly uncreative approach, the sort of strategy that people with mediocre ideas are forced to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/in-fact-most-of-us-see-perseverance-as-a-distinctly-uncreative/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Grit is the stubborn refusal to quit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/grit-is-the-stubborn-refusal-to-quit/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [“Even when alternative views are clearly wrong, being exposed to them still expands our creative potential. In a way, the power of dissent is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/even-when-alternative-views-are-clearly-wrong-being-exposed-to-them/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Cities force us to interact with strangers and with the strange. They pry the mind open. And that is why they are the idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/cities-force-us-to-interact-with-strangers-and-with-the-strange-they/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Distance and difference are the secret tonic of creativity. When we get home, home is still the same. But something in our mind has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/distance-and-difference-are-the-secret-tonic-of-creativity-when-we/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [In fact, the only way to remain creative over time--to not be undone by our expertise--is to experiment with ignorance, to stare at things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/in-fact-the-only-way-to-remain-creative-over-time-to-not-be-undone-by/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [“Science has discovered that, like any work of literature, the human genome is a text in need of commentary, for what Eliot said of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/science-has-discovered-that-like-any-work-of-literature-the-human/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [...new ideas are merely several old thoughts that occur at the exact same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/new-ideas-are-merely-several-old-thoughts-that-occur-at-the-exact/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Like a work of art, we exceed our materials. Science needs art to frame the mystery, but art needs science so that not everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/like-a-work-of-art-we-exceed-our-materials-science-needs-art-to-frame/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) [Explore all 74 Jonah Lehrer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) ## More Ruins quotes > [Above Coblentz almost every mountain has a ruin and a legend. One feels everywhere the spirit of the past, and its stirring recollections come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayard-taylor/above-coblentz-almost-every-mountain-has-a-ruin-and-a-legend-one/) [Bayard Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-taylor/) > [The less we show our love to a woman, Or please her less, and neglect our duty, The more we trap and ruin her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pushkin/the-less-we-show-our-love-to-a-woman-or-please-her-less-and-neglect/) [Alexander Pushkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pushkin/) > [I do like talking with friends about big concepts, you know, the stuff that will ruin a party. To me, the party hasn't begun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/i-do-like-talking-with-friends-about-big-concepts-you-know-the-stuff/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ann-shaffer/reading-good-books-ruins-you-for-enjoying-bad-books/) [Mary Ann Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ann-shaffer/) > [A thousand years may scare form a state. An hour may lay it in ruins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/a-thousand-years-may-scare-form-a-state-an-hour-may-lay-it-in-ruins/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [The religion of art, like the religion of politics, was born from the ruins of Christianity. Art inherited from the old religion the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/the-religion-of-art-like-the-religion-of-politics-was-born-from-the/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Good taste ruins certain true spiritual values: such as taste itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-chanel/good-taste-ruins-certain-true-spiritual-values-such-as-taste-itself/) [Coco Chanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-chanel/) > [How strange that something so simple could have been instrumental in my decision to ruin one of my most relationships and friendships, and damage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/how-strange-that-something-so-simple-could-have-been-instrumental-in/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [The chief wonder of education is that it does not ruin everybody concerned in it, teachers and taught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/the-chief-wonder-of-education-is-that-it-does-not-ruin-everybody/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [I would hate to see a UFO. Because it would ruin my life. I would have to talk about it the rest of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-costner/i-would-hate-to-see-a-ufo-because-it-would-ruin-my-life-i-would-have/) [Kevin Costner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-costner/) > [Ruin, eldest daughter of Zeus, she blinds us all, that fatal madness—she with those delicate feet of hers, never touching the earth, gliding over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/ruin-eldest-daughter-of-zeus-she-blinds-us-all-that-fatal-madness-she/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Knowledge forbidden? Suspicious, reasonless. Why should their Lord Envy them that? Can it be sin to know, Can it be death? And do they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/knowledge-forbidden-suspicious-reasonless-why-should-their-lord-envy/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [I'm going to college. I don't care if it ruins my career. I'd rather be smart than a movie star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/i-m-going-to-college-i-don-t-care-if-it-ruins-my-career-i-d-rather-be/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [With Your great schemes, You ruin our happiness like a harvester ruins a mouse's nest: I hate You, God, I hate You as though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/with-your-great-schemes-you-ruin-our-happiness-like-a-harvester-ruins/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) [Browse all 1,622 Ruins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruins/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When you overthink at the wrong moment, you cut yourself off from the wisdom of your emotions, which are much better at assessing actual preferences. You lose the ability to know what you really want. And then you choose the worst strawberry jam.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jonah Lehrer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/when-you-overthink-at-the-wrong-moment-you-cut-yourself-off-from-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ruins" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/when-you-overthink-at-the-wrong-moment-you-cut-yourself-off-from-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/jonah-lehrer-9286_ruins_when-you-overthink-at-the-wrong-moment-y_2078184.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/jonah-lehrer-9286_ruins_when-you-overthink-at-the-wrong-moment-y_2078184.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/jonah-lehrer-9286_ruins_when-you-overthink-at-the-wrong-moment-y_2078184.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you overthink at the wrong moment, you cut yourself off from the wisdom of your emotions, which are…” — Jonah Lehrer", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jonah Lehrer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“When you overthink at the wrong...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/when-you-overthink-at-the-wrong-moment-you-cut-yourself-off-from-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/when-you-overthink-at-the-wrong-moment-you-cut-yourself-off-from-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```