How to handle overthinking to get something done?

[su****]

When I want to make a project, I plan it a lot and sometimes I plan to much and it never gets done or it turns out it doesn't work as planned.

Here is an example:
About 17 months ago, I wanted to build a wooden box. Sure, you can buy a wooden box for like 5 bucks, but it would probably be some kind of spruce wood and it wouldn't be anything special.
So I wanted to make a box from some nice wood like oak with hand stitched paddings and a hidden second chamber for a music box in the bottom.
I could have started simple by nailing some planks together, but then I would not really like it and build a better box anyway. So why not build the better box now?
I spent a year deciding for the right wood, deciding for the right connection so you wouldn't see any end grain, I got to know all kinds of oiling, varnishing, staining and so on.
Then I splitted the first plank in half and noticed, 10 mm thick wood would bend by itself because of stress in the material and so the whole project didn't work.
Since I don't have any kind of wood plane or CNC machine, there was no way to get the wooden planks in shape for the project.
It was very frustrating to get this result after all the planning, especially because a wooden box is available for just 5 bucks.

Do you guys have some advice, how to learn things like building a box without this kind of overthinking?
I would still like to do it, just don't really know, where to start

Edited May 9, 2022 by suedseefrucht

[Ge****]

I can feel it so hard. It's the same with digital goods. I plan every detail of a project. And if something won't work as I planned it made me angry. An I think the details again to death.

I think there is no "cure" for overthinking. You need to be patient for yourself. It's a hard way to learn to think a bit ... less? 
Meanwhile I made so many things, that I learned to follow my first thought. This is what I can recommend: Follow your first thoughts and maybe the results will surprise you more than you expect?

 

[ha****]

In my experience there's a sweet spot between planning and execution and one very rarely ever hits the bull's eye.
Even experienced crafts(wo)men run to the store mid project because this and that is missing... 😅

[su****]

I'm thinking about a box with walls twice as thick,so the wood wouldn't bend hopefully. It still hurts, because this would destroy most of the design.

Plywood would prevent the walls frm bending too, but you would see the layers when you open the box.

 

Thanks for the answers, I guess the key is just to keep trying until it works

[su****]

Just in case, you would like to know how it was planned to look like

 

 

Edited May 10, 2022 by suedseefrucht

[Si****]

I too have the issue of over thinking to the point of not getting things done. Often times, I loose interest in the project because of the mental tiredness of over thinking. The only way I can deal with it is to just jump into it and keep my hands moving so I'm "occupied". This however leads to a lot of trial and error (often times more error).