Episode 231: Ozan Varol: How to Stop Overthinking and Start Quitting

How much do you get done when you’re multi-tasking?

In this episode of Habits and Hustle, I chat with Ozan Varol about the importance of staying focused on only one thing at a time to maximize productivity, how to stop overthinking, and why we need to learn how to quit.

He also shares the importance of taking some time to do nothing, such as staring out a window. Oftentimes, sitting with your thoughts is more productive than answering emails.

Ozan Varol is a rocket scientist turned award-winning professor, #1 bestselling author, and internationally acclaimed speaker. He is one of the world’s foremost experts in creativity, innovation, and critical thinking. He helps industry-leading organizations reimagine the status quo with moonshot thinking.

What we discuss:

02:03: What does it mean to escape conformity?

04:10: Why should we unlearn the habits we have picked up?

08:44: Why should you stop multi-tasking?

11:43: What’s the tinfoil-wrapped chocolate theory?

15:18: What is Ozan’s villain story?

17:22: What made Ozan want to write a book about nonconformity?

21:26: Can quitting be the solution?

24:54: Is persistence always the answer?

25:21: Where can you find the courage to quit?

28:51: Why are you still doing things the same way?

34:12: What are the adverse reactions to meditations?

39:01: What about Ozan doesn’t fit into the bucket of being a rocket scientist?

43:18: How can we stop overthinking?

46:26: How can we become more resilient?

52:26: What’s the worst piece of advice that Ozan has received?

55:26: What is a brain attic?

01:01:22: Why you should stop calling your office “the office”?

Key Takeaways:

• Experimenting beats overthinking every single time. Oftentimes, we spend a lot of time thinking about the plan for a new project we want to work on. The problem with that is we often get stuck in this stage, as it gives us the illusion we’re making progress when in reality, we’ve made no progress at all. That’s why it’s important that you skip the overthinking and overplanning stage and instead, experiment. By taking action, you learn quickly enough the things you’ve been trying to find out by “thinking” and can adapt quicker. 

• Knowing when to quit is just as important as knowing when you need to keep pushing. Sometimes, the job you have isn’t cutting it anymore, and quitting it is what will bring you to your next level. In other cases, your business may feel impossible to break even but you need to keep pushing. Whatever it is you are doing or want to accomplish, it’s important you know how to quit and put your foot on the pedal.

• Most of the habits we have picked up were habits created by other people who ingrained them into us. They thought for us, and we simply take on what they pass on without questioning it. However, that’s no way to live through life as a life of conformity is in no way a fruitful one. You are meant to use your thinking skills to ideate a life you want for yourself and put it into play.

Thank you to our sponsors:

This episode is sponsored by Hostinger. Visit Hostinger.com/HABITS and use promo code HABITS for an extra 10% off.

Go to organifi.com/hustle and use code HUSTLE for 20% off your entire order.

To learn more about Ozan:

Website: https://ozanvarol.com/

Book: https://ozanvarol.com/awaken/

My links:

Website: https://www.jennifercohen.com/

Instagram: @therealjencohen