🧠 The Over Thinker Block
When Perfectionism Holds You Back
You understand the question.
You’ve studied the grammar.
But when it’s time to choose an answer, your brain freezes.
You re-read the sentence. Then again.
You second-guess yourself.
Time slips away — and your confidence goes with it.
This is the Over Thinker Block. And it’s more common than you think.
What is the Over Thinker Block?
It’s not a knowledge problem. It’s a processing trap.
When you feel you must be 100% sure before answering — when you can’t move on without “perfect understanding” — your brain gets stuck. You loop. You hesitate. You burn time on questions you actually know how to answer.
This block shows up most often in learners who were taught to value precision over progress. In TOEIC, that training backfires. The test rewards speed, not slow analysis. Confidence, not second-guessing.
Signs You Might Be Caught in This Block
You re-read questions you already understood
You hesitate between two similar choices
You get stuck on “easy” questions and feel rushed later
You feel like you have to understand everything before you move on
You leave practice tests mentally wiped out
Why Does This Happen?
Traditional education rewards caution, detail, and “one right answer.” That works in school. But TOEIC isn’t testing deep understanding — it’s testing how quickly you can spot patterns and make decisions.
And if you’ve picked up other blocks along the way — like…
The Memoriser Block: pausing to recall a rule
The Translator Block: trying to convert every sentence to Japanese
The Speed Trap Block: over-analyzing and running out of time
The Burnout Block: mental exhaustion from chasing perfection
…then it’s no wonder your score won’t move. The system trained you to freeze.
You’re not broken.
You were just taught the wrong strategy for this test.
ALT's Solution: Training Fast, Confident Thinking
At My TOEIC Coach, we use Accelerated Learning Technology (ALT) to retrain how you think under pressure.
✅ Spot Patterns Fast
Instead of analysing everything, you’ll learn to instantly recognise question types and common traps — and skip the analysis.
✅ Make Quicker Decisions
We’ll train your brain to rely on instinct, not overthinking. The right answer will feel familiar — because you’ve seen it before.
✅ Focus on What Matters
ALT drills teach you to filter out noise and lock in on what’s actually needed to answer the question. Less mental load = more brainpower for the next question.
✅ Let Go of Perfection
We’ll help you move forward even when things aren’t “perfectly clear.” Because real progress happens when you stop waiting to be 100% sure.
MTC Coaching: Real Help for Real Overthinkers
Your coach isn’t just watching your score.
They’re watching how you think.
🔍 Pinpoint Your Patterns
Your coach will show you exactly where you get stuck — and why.
🎯 Train the Right Habits
We’ll build drills that force you to decide quickly and trust yourself.
📣 Get Honest Feedback
Every week, your coach will help you notice the moments you hesitate — and teach you how to break that loop.
🧠 Shift Your Mindset
You don’t have to be perfect. Just faster. Just a little braver. We’ll help you get there.
Real Example:
M-san (30s, office worker) kept changing right answers to wrong ones. After learning ALT’s “first instinct” rule, she stopped overthinking — and her score in Part 5 jumped 30 points in just four weeks.
Mini Q&A
Q: I spend forever on each question. How do I fix that?
A: That’s Over Thinker Block in action. We’ll train you to recognise common patterns so you can decide faster and move on.
Q: I know the grammar, but I still hesitate. Why?
A: You’re not seeing it fast enough. ALT turns your knowledge into instinct — so you don’t have to think through every rule mid-test.
Q: Is guessing okay if I’m not sure?
A: Absolutely. There’s no penalty for guessing. Over Thinkers lose points trying to be perfect. Learn to trust your gut — and go.
Ready to Stop Overthinking?
If you’ve ever felt, “I get stuck because I overthink everything…” — this might be your block.
Take our free Learning Block Diagnostic and find out exactly what’s slowing you down.
Because TOEIC isn’t about being perfect.
It’s about learning how to move forward — fast.
