Picture this: a centipede gracefully gliding through the meadow, its numerous legs moving in perfect harmony. But suddenly, it stops as an unexpected thought arises in its once-peaceful mind, bringing it to a grinding halt—which leg should it move first? As it tries to decide, it finds no leg feels just right to be the first. Each attempt proves to be just as futile as the last until, finally, its legs become a tangled mess of misdirection, and the centipede wonders if it must be the worst centipede in the world.
This conundrum is known as the Centipede's Dilemma—a name derived from an 1881 poem—and serves as a humorous metaphor for the hindrance that comes from overthinking. Most especially from overthinking the things that come naturally to us.