Action Over Anxiety
Turning imagined obstacles into real-world progress
I used to be great at worrying. Whenever something important was coming up, like exams at university, a tough conversation at work, or starting a new project, I’d find myself thinking way too much. Instead of getting things done, I'd keep imagining all the ways things could go wrong. The more I thought about these things, the worse I felt. I'd lose sleep, distract myself with games or TV shows, and feel stuck.
But then I discovered something that changed everything: doing something about the thing I’m worrying about is the best way to fight stress and anxiety. When I finally started working, even if it was just a tiny step, the worry melted away, and things became clear.
Action transformed my anxiety into progress. Now I know that doing something is always better than it occupying my mind rent free and thinking about the hundred ways it could go wrong.
Looking back, I realize there were many times when anxiety and stress got the better of me because I was stuck in my own head. For instance, when I first thought about starting the Stoic Product Manager publication, I spent weeks worrying about how people would react, whether I'd have enough good ideas, and if I could keep it interesting.
The longer I waited, the bigger and scarier it became. It was similar whenever I needed to shift my team's direction at work, I worried endlessly about how my team and stakeholders would react, what might go wrong, and how it might affect everyone's workload. The anxiety was exhausting.
This pattern started even earlier, back when I was at university. I don’t think this story is unique to me, I bet you did something similar too. Exams and essays always filled me with dread. I'd avoid starting my studies by diving into distractions like playing League of Legends for hours or watching Dragon Ball Z episodes back-to-back. I thought these distractions would help, but they just added to the stress. Each day I procrastinated, the anxiety grew stronger.
It's funny, at the time, I didn't realize there was a simple solution: just starting. It sounds so obvious now, but back then, action didn't even cross my mind as the answer. Somehow, I still managed to get through university and earn my degree, but the journey was much harder than it needed to be.
Only now, looking back, do I clearly see that action was the key. Even small steps, like checking what materials I needed to study for the exam or reading a single article to help form my thoughts on the essay topic, would have drastically reduced my anxiety. It took me years to realize that doing something, anything, is the best antidote to stress.
This is probably why Stoicism spoke to me. Its a philosophy built around action and controlling what we can. It offers a practical way of handling anxiety by guiding us with four key virtues: courage, temperance, wisdom, and justice.
Courage helps us face fear and take action even when it feels scary.
Temperance teaches us to stay calm and disciplined instead of panicking or avoiding tough situations.
Wisdom shows us how to identify clearly what's under our control and what's not, helping us focus our energy effectively.
Justice reminds us to act fairly and ethically, thinking beyond just ourselves and our own worries.
"The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control." - Epictetus
This means we shouldn't stress about things we can't change, but instead focus decisively on things we can.
One morning in September, I found myself walking through a quiet forest near my home. It was warm, birds were singing and the fresh of summer was still lingering despite the upcoming fall. I had my earbuds in, listening to Lenny's podcast as usual.
The forest was peaceful, there was nobody there besides me, at least I didn’t see anyone for the full hour. Despite this peaceful place, my mind was racing. The quarterly planning meeting at work was coming up soon, and anxiety was building.
Each quarter, it felt like I was trapped on a hamster wheel. I really wanted to do a good job for my team to set the direction and provide them with clarity of what we’re going to do and why. At the same time I needed to convince the stakeholders to the direction and ideas that I prepared.
I wanted them to see that I was thoughtful, prepared, and effective. But my constant busyness had left me unprepared. I hadn't reflected deeply enough on our team's performance or what we'd learned over the last few months. The pressure was crushing, and it felt like time was running out.
That's when I heard Tal Raviv on the podcast, talking about keeping a "product scrapbook", a place where he noted ideas, insights, and conversations. It hit me instantly, this was what I needed. A clear, practical step. Something I could actually do right away.
That day, I decided on three simple changes that Tal recommended:
Keeping my own product scrapbook
Delaying opening Slack until after lunch to protect my mornings for deep work
And openly sharing important questions and insights in shared team channels rather than private messages
These small actions made an enormous difference.
Within weeks, my product scrapbook was filled with ideas, research, and notes from conversations I'd previously let slip away. When quarterly planning arrived, I was ready, clear-headed, and confident. Anxiety melted into excitement, and I could see my team's next steps clearly. By turning thoughts into actions, I had found the antidote to stress I'd been searching for.
The impact of taking these simple actions was immediate and powerful. My productivity soared and I was finally able to concentrate deeply on important tasks without distractions. Each morning became a valuable, uninterrupted block of time to think clearly and creatively.
With a clear mind, I could give my team precise direction, supported by solid ideas and evidence from my scrapbook. Team meetings became more focused and productive because everyone understood exactly what we were aiming for and why. Stakeholders noticed the change too. They saw that I was better prepared, had clearer plans, and was confident in our strategy.
The emotional and psychological relief was enormous. Anxiety that used to dominate my days faded into the background. Taking action created a positive cycle and each completed task boosted my confidence, encouraging me to keep going. This cycle of action and confidence became self-sustaining, making stress something manageable rather than overwhelming.
"The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way." - Marcus Aurelius
This is one of my favorite quotes, its actually the quote behind the title of Ryan Holiday’s book ‘Obstacle is the Way.’ He encourages us to see obstacles not as barriers but as opportunities to take action, to grow, and to overcome our anxiety by facing problems directly.
Looking back, I realize that action doesn't just solve immediate problems, it reshapes your whole mindset. By consistently acting instead of worrying, I've gained clarity, confidence, and control over stress that I never had before.
Modern productivity experts also confirm that action reduces anxiety and stress. Jason Feifer, editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur magazine, suggests using the "least bad option" method when feeling stuck. Instead of overthinking and getting paralyzed, list possible solutions without judging them too harshly and pick the best (or least bad) option available. This gets you moving again.
Psychologists agree, taking even small actions helps reduce anxiety because it triggers dopamine, the "feel-good" chemical in our brains. Behavioral activation therapy, a treatment for anxiety and depression, is built entirely around this idea: when we start acting, our mood improves and stress decreases.
In the tech world, successful leaders use these insights too. LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman famously advises, "If you're not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you've launched too late." Amazon promotes a "Bias for Action" encouraging decisions without excessive delay. Agile methodologies, with their short sprints, also encourage action, rapid feedback, and continuous improvement, effectively reducing stress through clear, manageable tasks.
"We suffer more from imagination than from reality." - Seneca
Our minds often create fears that are far worse than the actual challenges we face. The key is to act and confront reality, rather than stay stuck in our anxious thoughts.
To help manage anxiety and consistently choose action, I recommend three simple, practical exercises you can incorporate into your daily routine:
Morning Stoic Checklist: Every morning, quickly jot down the smallest action you can take that day, acknowledge what fear you might be avoiding, and remind yourself how taking action will help reduce this fear. It needs to be something that will advance you in your path.
Least Bad Option Journal: Whenever you feel stuck or overwhelmed, list several possible solutions without judging them too harshly. Then, pick the best or the least bad option and commit to it. This method, inspired by Jason Feifer, helps overcome analysis paralysis and helps me to start acting.
Post-action Reflection: After completing a task or taking significant action, reflect briefly by answering three questions: What did I control? What did I learn? What should I do next? This practice reinforces clarity and helps build confidence in your ability to handle stress proactively.
By regularly practicing these exercises, Stoic product managers can significantly reduce stress and anxiety, enhancing productivity and creating a stable and proactive mindset.