Here, Steve Pickering, the ‘unorthodox’ CEO of independent bed retail chain Sussex Beds, opens up about his tendency to fixate on troubling issues, and the cost of doing so …
Have you ever felt your mind stuck on repeat, unable to break free from a troubling thought? That's been my reality more times than I care to admit.
Apparently, I suffer from rumination. When in a deep crisis, my brain becomes consumed with the issue and nothing else. I neglect everyone and everything around me. I just can't switch off. For years, I didn't know what to call this overwhelming mental state.
Recently, I learned that what I experience is called rumination, or mental fixation. It's often associated with intense stress, anxiety, or a deep crisis. Essentially, my brain gets stuck in a loop, overthinking and obsessing over a particular problem. This leads me to neglect other responsibilities, relationships, and even basic self-care.
I vividly remember this happening in 2012 when our business went through a CVA. My mind was a constant whirlwind of worst-case scenarios and ‘what-ifs’. Last year was another rollercoaster, with multiple episodes of being mentally consumed by challenges.
While I do eventually emerge from these periods of rumination, it comes at a steep price. The mental fixation gives way to a crushing sense of guilt. I berate myself for not being present with my family and closest friends. The weight of this guilt was so heavy that it contributed to my mental breakdown in 2012. I couldn't shake the feeling that I had failed my young children by being physically present but mentally absent.
Do you ever experience similar thought patterns? How do you cope with overwhelming mental fixation?
Discover more of Steve’s thoughts here or listen to his podcast, An Unorthodox CEO
