How Our Minds Become Conspiracy Theorists (and What to Do About It)
Have you ever found yourself after a long day of meetings and decisions double-checking emails that you’d sent earlier, convinced that you’d framed things badly? Your mind quietly spinning, you imagine the worst – that instead of clarity, you had sown misunderstanding.
It is not just in your head. Our brains are wired to fill gaps. When we are unsure of something, such as what someone really means or what happens next, our minds often fill in the blanks with the worst-case scenario.
The reality is that our minds can turn into conspiracy theorists, creating stories that aren’t rooted in fact.
Recent neuroscience findings help explain why this happens and how often. Researchers at Queen’s University in Canada used fMRI scans to track transitions between thoughts, what they call “thought worms,” and estimated that the average person experiences over 6,200 thoughts per day. That is nearly one new thought every 15 seconds during waking hours. No wonder our brains spin narratives so quickly.
When we don’t catch those thoughts, they solidify into stories that shape how we show up at work, in relationships and in leadership. We shape meaning from fragments often anchored in fear or assumptions.
So how do leaders who are expected to remain clear and strategic navigate the noisiness of the mind?
Here are five practical ways to notice when your brain is telling a story and return to what is real:
Pause and Name It: When you catch yourself in a downward spiral, say silently, “My mind is running a story.” That pause creates space.
Check the Data: Ask, “What do I actually know to be true here?” It pulls you out of the narrative and into the facts.
Reframe the Story: If your mind says, “They did not reply, they must be upset with me,” reframe it: “Maybe they are just busy.” A small shift opens perspective.
Breathe Before You React: Just two or three slower, deeper breaths can calm your nervous system and interrupt the pattern.
Choose Your Story: At work ask, “What’s best for the business right now?” while also being mindful of what serves your team and then yourself. Reframing around what’s best for the organization is a bulletproof starting place since it turns you from reactive to intentional (think: bigger picture) and helps keep the ego in check.
Why it matters:
Studies recognize how this unhelpful inner chatter affects performance and resilience. Psychologist Ethan Kross reminds us that our “inner voice” can become our worst critic, turning worries into narratives that hijack attention and impact physical health. Under pressure, the mind’s survival drive can override clarity and creative presence.
Here are two questions you can ask yourself as real-time experiments during your day:
If you could turn down that mental static, how much clearer might your leadership feel?
How much more connection might you bring to your team when inner loops don’t hijack your attention?
As leaders in complex environments, we don’t need to eliminate storytelling. That is part of being human and it can be a tremendously powerful tool. But we can become better at noticing when our minds are speculating instead of helping. When we choose stories that keep us grounded and invite possibility, we reclaim clarity. Leadership becomes less about reaction and more about intentional presence. Just think about the outcomes that you and your team can drive with more of that.
