Episode 4: Training Your Algorithm

Your mind works like a search engine, serving up results based on what you've been feeding it. If your default setting is worry, catastrophic thinking, and mental spirals, this episode shows you how to reprogram your mental feed. Shift from anxiety and worst-case scenarios to curiosity, clarity, and possibility. Same brain, better results.

📖 Read the book on Amazon: Overthinking the Awesome — Kindle + Paperback Available ➤ https://www.amazon.com/Overthinking-Awesome-Spiraling-Self-Doubt-Confidence-ebook/dp/B0G53WXKCV/

🔈 Listen on Audible ➤ https://www.audible.com/pd/B0GD2LD5XG

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Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (00:07):
From the space between send and reply, this is
Overthinking the Awesome withDavid Cosgroup.
Welcome back.
You're thinking too much.
Good.
So am I.
Let's put that big brain ofyours to work.
Before we get started, I want togive a quick thanks to this
episode's sponsor, WestwoodProvisions, handmade candles out

(00:29):
of Simsbury, Connecticut.
When I'm recording or writing,the right atmosphere matters.
These folks get that.
Connect with Westwood Provisionson Instagram and Facebook.
Tell them that the Overthinkerssent you.
Ah, the setup.
If your mind feels chaoticsometimes, congratulations.
You're basically running anunfiltered social media feed 24

(00:52):
hours a day, seven days a week,365 days a year.
Every memory, worry, and randomshower thought is a post
fighting for engagement.
And your attention?
That's the like button.
Your brain's internal algorithmis simple.
Whatever you agree with, itshows you more of.

(01:12):
Every time you replay a thought,good or bad, you're boosting its
reach.
That's why one awkward commentcan trend in your head for a
week while a heartfeltcompliment disappears by lunch.
The algorithm isn't mean, it'sjust efficient and calculating.
It assumes that anything youthink about repeatedly must be

(01:32):
important content.
So if you keep analyzing thebad, the bad goes viral in your
mind.
But if you start overanalyzingthe awesome, the awesome does.
Let's talk about curating yourfeed and how to become the
community manager of your ownmind.
First, curate your feed.

(01:54):
Scroll through your innerthoughts like you would for your
for you page.
Which ones deserve a follow?
Which ones need the blockbutton?
Things to keep.
Thoughts that inspire yourcuriosity, gratitude, humor, or
creativity.
Mute.
Thoughts that start with what ifI'm not enough?

(02:15):
Unfollow.
Past mistakes that keep postingthe same repeated, recycled
negativity.
Second, use microengagements.
Every time something goodhappens, give it five seconds of
intentional attention.
That's a like.
Three times a day, replay amicro moment and add a mental

(02:35):
comment.
Uh saving this.
More of this, please.
Your brain starts recognizingthat tone as a priority tag.
Third, flag what you don't wantto see.
When a recurring negativethought shows up, don't argue
with it, just tag it.
Mm-hmm Not interested.

(02:56):
That label tells yoursubconscious, we've seen enough
of that content.
After enough consistentdownvotes, it stops showing up
so often.
The highlight reel.
This is great.
Here's my favorite hack.
At the end of each day, askyourself, what were the top
three highlights of today'sfeed?

(03:16):
They don't have to be epic.
Sometimes it's nailed theparking spot, texted a friend
and felt connected, or didn'tyell at the printer.
Write them down and say them outloud.
That daily recap becomes thealgorithm's overnight learning
data.
During sleep, your brainconsolidates what it thinks
matters most from the day.

(03:37):
If you end your day replayinggratitude instead of dread, your
subconscious literally rehearsesthat positive state overnight.
You can't stop the algorithm,but you can train it.
Feed it awe, humor, curiosity,kindness, and creativity.
Starve it of pointlessself-critique.
Before long, your mental for youpage will look wildly different.

(04:00):
Still busy, still human, feeltilted towards wonder instead of
worry.
This has been Overthinking theAwesome.
I'm David Cosgrove.
Stay safe out there, andremember, your mind isn't too
much.
You're just learning how to playit.

(04:23):
Overthinking the Awesome, how toturn anxiety, spiraling, and
self-doubt into clarity andconfidence is available on
Amazon and Audible.
And if you want to share yourjourney, reach out.
I am at DavidCosgrove.com.
Thanks for listening.