The Centipede’s Dilemma is a psychological phenomenon where overthinking a learned or instinctive action interferes with its execution. It comes from a poem by Katherine Craster (1871), in which a centipede, after being asked how it moves all its legs in coordination, becomes so self-conscious that it can no longer walk.
In psychology, this is linked to paralysis by analysis—when excessive focus on a task disrupts performance. It’s often discussed in sports, music, and skill acquisition, where conscious thought disrupts smooth, automatic actions.
Are you thinking about this in a specific context?
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