How to Spot the Difference Between Worrying and Problem-Solving

The telltale differences between helpful and unhelpful ways of thinking about your problems

And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pith and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action. — Shakespeare, Hamlet

Worrying is a common problem. It can often be understood as a failed attempt at problem-solving. (As can worry’s more past-oriented cous…