The Overthinker's Guide to Making Decisions: How to Make Decisions without Losing Your Mind

by Joseph Nguyen

New York Times Bestseller!

From the author of the international bestseller Don't Believe Everything You Think comes a companion guide that transforms the paralyzing cycle of overthinking into clear, intuitive decision-making.

Your brain is wired to overthink decisions—not because something's wrong with you, but because you care deeply about making the right choice.

If you've ever found yourself trapped in endless loops of "what if," analyzing every option to exhaustion, or seeking everyone's advice while still feeling lost... this book is your way out.

The Overthinker's Guide to Making Decisions breaks new ground where "just trust your gut" advice has failed you. Unlike traditional approaches that leave you stranded between endless analysis and vague intuition, this book provides a counterintuitive system that bypasses the overthinking loop entirely.

This isn't about making perfect choices. It's about making aligned ones from a place of clarity instead of chaos.

This step-by-step guide will show you exactly how
Identify the surprising neurological root of overthinking and how to stop mental spirals before they hijack your mind Apply the step-by-step TRUST framework that walks you through any decision, leaving you with absolute clarity on exactly what to do Use the revolutionary SAGE method to break through analysis paralysis in minutes, transforming overwhelm into a single, clear choice Instantly distinguish between your intuition and fear when making any decision Silence external opinions and reconnect with your inner wisdom so you hear your own voice louder than anyone else's Transform paralyzing fear into psychological freedom, creating space for choices that were previously unimaginable End the exhausting replay of past decisions, releasing regret and creating genuine peace with your choices Develop unshakable emotional resilience so you can make bold decisions knowing you'll thrive regardless of the outcome Recognize actualized the transformative choices that create the deepest peace, growth, and alignment in your life Uncover the hidden patterns behind your choices with over 70 powerful journaling prompts, reshaping how you decide from a place of alignment, not anxiety Implement 20 ‘Mini Trust Experiments’ that build decision confidence in just days, using low-stakes everyday choices to rewire self-doubt patterns

This book isn’t about fixing your mind. It’s about freeing it.

You don’t need more advice. You need to trust yourself again.

This book won’t tell you what to do. It will help you remember how to listen to the one voice that’s always known.

Yours.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Psychology, Audiobook

167 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 11, 2025

Reviews

[Amanda NEVER MANDY · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Your peace does not need to be sacrificed for someone else’s comfort.”

I didn’t love the journaling/worksheet shit, but I loved everything else. It is a bit repetitive, and it doesn’t need to be as long as it is. I know many will gripe about those things.

I would recommend this book to experienced self-helpers looking for a voice to reassure them that they are on the right path. It really is that hard to make yourself a priority. People like to fight against it and make you feel awful for the decisions that you make. Stay true. I promise it is worth it.

“Those who truly love you want your authentic happiness, not your compliance.”

Three stars to a book that gave me the boost I needed.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

can’t decide how I feel about this book.

says a lot about how it failed to achieve what the title sets out.

[Dr. B · Rating 2 out of 5]

This could’ve easily been a blog post instead of a full book!

I really wanted to like this book, but the constant repetition drove me crazy. While the tone is friendly and easy to read, there’s very little real value. If you’re looking for something short and to the point, this isn’t it.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. It’s a short but insightful read that encouraged me to take a closer look at how and why I make the decisions I do, and what’s influencing that process. I found myself highlighting 𝙨𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 statements that genuinely resonated with me.

Yes, there’s some repetition throughout, but that didn’t bother me at all. In fact, I think there’s real value in it. Sometimes hearing the same ideas phrased in different ways helps them truly sink in.

The bulk of the book (about 60%) is dedicated to guided worksheet space, walking you through the TRUST decision-making framework. The same exercise is repeated 50 times, allowing you to apply it to multiple real-life decisions, big or small. The final section includes low-stakes exercises to practice making choices with less pressure, which I found really helpful.

Overall, I found this book both practical and grounding. Joseph offers a gentle, self-aware approach that brought me a lot of clarity and awareness around my own decision-making habits.

Special thanks to the author, NetGalley, and Authors Equity for the gifted copy

[Heather Daughrity · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first third of this book receives five stars. The pages are full of gentle yet firm guidance on why we choose based on fear and simple ways to change our mindset. I found much of the information and instructions to be inspiring and helpful.

The second third of the book is mostly workbook pages the reader is intended to use daily, weekly, or whenever a difficult decision pops up in their lives. This section contains a lot of repeated information from the first third of the book. Roughly half of these "worksheets" are the same exact preface and questions, intended to be filled out as needed (there is also a QR code to download and print these worksheets).

While I found the information and guidance on the first third of the book useful, I was annoyed that so much of the book was simply repeated instructions and questions.

If you're looking for a short introduction followed by a workbook format, you might enjoy this one. If you're looking for deep psychological writing and scientific understanding of the curse of overthinking, look elsewhere.

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read via audiobook, about 1 hour of the book, another on a conversation with the author. 

I think there's some good ideas in here and I appreciate that it didn't drag on. Very Buddhist-informed for Western audience. Turned me all the way off for quoting Tony Robbins though.


Here's basically the book:

When overthinking (ie anxious) take a few deep breaths, zero in on what the root decision you're thinking about is and get rid of the "white noise" - think about your fears around it, potential peace it could bring, then take a small step toward the goal. (Example given is you want to leave your job but worried about coworkers being upset but the root question is about leaving the job)

Decisions should be made toward what gives you peace, what aligns with who you are, what helps you grow, what is driven by love not fear (Donnie Darko entering the chat)


That's pretty much it. Simple, but not bad advice

[Victoria Fairchild · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Overthinker’s Guide to Making Decisions is a wonderfully supportive read for anyone who tends to get stuck in their thoughts. Joseph Nguyen writes with an easy, calming voice that makes even the most tangled mental habits feel manageable. His insights are simple to understand, beautifully explained, and surprisingly empowering.

What I loved most is how the book gently guides you toward trusting yourself more. The tools and perspectives he shares feel practical and encouraging—you can start using them right away, and they really do make everyday choices feel lighter and less stressful. It’s the kind of book that brings clarity without pressure and confidence without overwhelm.

A thoughtful, reassuring companion for anyone wanting to make decisions with more peace and ease. This is a book you’ll want to keep nearby and revisit whenever your mind starts spiraling.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had expected this book to be more of a research-based, informative work. It is more of a self-help workbook, with an introduction with a common sense explanation of a system to analyze your personal decision-making followed by journaling worksheets to help you explore your patterns and apply the strategies. This seems to be a useful tool, but I think it would be more effective if used in conjunction with a therapist to help you process more deeply.

Thank you to Authors Equity, Netgalley, and the author for early access to this work.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first part of this book is great; I ended up highlighting a lot of statements and the quotes in the book were really good as well. The second part of the book is very repetitive and boring, but could be good for some as journaling prompts, this part just wasn't for me.

Thank you to Net Galley, and Authors Equity for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Austin Scarpino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent first half, great tools and steps to navigate big decisions. Second half of the book was basically a worksheet to fill out and use the tools for future decisions. Definitely something I may use in the future.

[Power In Books · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of worst book of 2025

[Rachel Meyers · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was just what I needed to give me clarity on a decision. very short but powerful

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful principles but without deep insight