The Marie Forleo Question That Stops Pattern Paralysis Dead (Why You Never Start That $50 Pattern)

You know that pattern sitting in your Ravelry library right now? The one you bought six months ago during a late-night scrolling session because it was absolutely gorgeous and you were feeling confident and inspired?

The same pattern you've opened approximately 47 times, scrolled through the 23-page PDF, felt your stomach drop at the stitch count, and promptly closed again?

Yeah, that one.

You're not alone in this dance. Pattern paralysis is real, and if you have ADHD or anxiety, that beautiful design can start feeling less like inspiration and more like evidence that you're not good enough to attempt "advanced" techniques.

But here's what changed everything for me: Marie Forleo's foundational question from "Everything Is Figureoutable" isn't just for business problems. It's revolutionary for makers stuck staring at patterns they're afraid to start.

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The $300 Pattern Collection You Never Touch

Last spring, I did something that made me want to hide under my yarn stash: I calculated how much money I'd spent on patterns I'd never even attempted.

Three hundred and forty-seven dollars.

That's not counting the yarn I bought specifically for some of those patterns, which is sitting in project bags with printed pattern pages, taunting me every time I open my craft closet.

Some of these patterns weren't even that complicated. But something about seeing "intermediate" or "advanced" in the description, or counting the number of special stitches, or reading phrases like "working in the round while maintaining pattern repeats" just made my brain shut down.

I'd tell myself:

• "I need to practice basic techniques more first"

• "Maybe when I have a whole weekend to focus on this"

• "I should wait until I feel more confident"

• "What if I mess it up and waste all that expensive yarn?"

Meanwhile, I kept making the same simple dishcloths and scarves, wondering why I felt bored and unchallenged.

Marie Forleo's Game-Changing Approach

In "Everything Is Figureoutable," Forleo shares the mindset shift that built her multi-million dollar business. But the core principle works just as well for a crocheter staring down a complex colorwork sweater.

Instead of asking "Can I do this?" (which our anxious brains will always answer with doubt), Forleo teaches us to ask:

"How can I figure this out?"

This tiny shift changes everything. The first question assumes a fixed skill level - you either can or can't. The second question assumes growth is possible and puts your brain to work finding solutions instead of listing problems.

The Old Pattern Paralysis Thinking:

• "This looks too hard for me"

• "I don't know how to do cables/colorwork/short rows"

• "What if I can't understand the instructions?"

• "I'm not advanced enough for this pattern"

The "Everything Is Figureoutable" Approach:

• "How can I learn the techniques I need for this pattern?"

• "What resources exist to help me understand these instructions?"

• "How can I break this project into manageable pieces?"

• "What would need to happen for me to feel confident starting this?"

The Marie Forleo Method: From Paralysis to Progress

Forleo's approach isn't about blind confidence or fake-it-till-you-make-it energy. It's about systematic problem-solving that turns overwhelming challenges into a series of smaller, solvable puzzles.

Step 1: The Reality Check Assessment

Instead of looking at the whole pattern and panicking, ask: "What exactly am I worried about?"

Write down your specific concerns:

• New stitch techniques you don't know

• Pattern construction you haven't tried before

• Yarn weight or fiber you haven't worked with

• Finishing techniques that seem complex

• Time commitment that feels overwhelming

This turns vague anxiety into concrete learning goals.

Step 2: The "How Can I" Question Series

For each concern, transform your worry into a figureoutable question:

Instead of: "I don't know how to read charts"
Ask: "How can I learn to read crochet charts effectively?"

Instead of: "This pattern is too complicated"
Ask: "How can I break this pattern into sections I can handle?"

Instead of: "I'll mess up the expensive yarn"
Ask: "How can I practice the techniques with cheaper yarn first?"

Step 3: The Resource Hunt

Forleo emphasizes that everything is figureoutable because we live in the information age. For every crochet technique, there are multiple ways to learn it:

• YouTube tutorials for visual learners

• Written tutorials for readers

• Stitch dictionaries for reference

• Online communities for questions

• Local yarn shops for in-person help

• Practice swatches for skill building

The pattern that seemed impossible becomes a learning adventure.

The Neurodivergent Twist: Working With Your Brain

If you have ADHD or anxiety, Forleo's method needs slight modifications to work with your neurotype:

Break It Down Further

Instead of "How can I make this sweater," try "How can I successfully complete the foundation chain for this sweater?" Start smaller than feels necessary.

Use the Hyperfocus Advantage

When you get interested in learning a new technique, ride that wave. Spend your hyperfocus time researching and practicing, not fighting your brain's natural rhythms.

Prepare for the Motivation Dip

ADHD brains cycle through interest levels. Plan for this by creating easy re-entry points - detailed notes, progress photos, clear stopping points.

Reframe "Failure" as Data

If you try something and it doesn't work, that's not evidence you can't do it. That's information about what to figure out next.

Real-World Application: The Intimidating Sweater Story

Let me show you how this worked for my friend Sarah (with her permission). She'd been staring at a beautiful Celtic cable sweater pattern for eight months.

Her Original Thinking: "I can't make this. I've never done cables. It's too advanced."

After the "How Can I" Reframe: "How can I learn to make cables?"

Her Action Plan:

1. Found three different YouTube tutorials on basic cables

2. Practiced cables on dishcloths until they felt automatic

3. Made a cable scarf to get comfortable with the technique

4. Started the sweater with a "prototype mindset" - willing to learn as she went

Result: She finished that sweater in six months and now regularly tackles complex patterns because she knows how to figure things out.

Your Pattern Paralysis Action Plan

Week 1: Pattern Inventory

Look through your saved/purchased patterns. Pick the ONE that excites you most but scares you most. This is your figureoutable challenge.

Week 2: The Concern List

Write down everything that worries you about this pattern. Be specific. "It's too hard" becomes "I don't know how to do the waist shaping" or "I've never worked with lace weight yarn."

Week 3: The Resource Hunt

For each concern, find at least two learning resources. YouTube tutorials, blog posts, books, online communities. Save them in a folder labeled with your pattern name.

Week 4: The First Step

Don't start the actual project yet. Instead, practice the most intimidating technique on a sample swatch. Just figure out that one piece.

Week 5: The Commitment

If you successfully figured out the scary technique, commit to starting the actual project. If not, identify what you need to learn next and keep figuring it out.

The Compound Effect of "Figureoutable" Thinking

Here's what happens when you consistently apply this approach:

• Your skill ceiling disappears. Instead of being "a beginner" or "intermediate," you become "someone who figures things out."

• Pattern shopping changes. You start looking at designs and thinking "interesting challenge" instead of "impossible dream."

• Your confidence builds on evidence. Each time you figure something out, your brain builds proof that you can handle new challenges.

• Crochet becomes more engaging. Instead of staying in your comfort zone, you're always growing.

Forleo calls this building your "figure-it-out muscle." For crocheters, it's the difference between repeating the same patterns forever and becoming the maker who tackles anything that catches their eye.

The Permission You've Been Waiting For

You don't need to know how to do something before you start learning how to do it. You don't need to feel confident before you attempt something new. You just need to believe that you can figure it out as you go.

That gorgeous pattern in your library? The one that's been intimidating you for months? You absolutely can figure out how to make it. Maybe not today, maybe not perfectly the first time, but definitely eventually.

The question isn't whether you're skilled enough. The question is: How will you figure it out?

Ready to Make Everything Figureoutable?

Marie Forleo's "Everything Is Figureoutable" will change how you approach not just crochet challenges, but every area of your life where you've been telling yourself "I can't."

Her research-backed method for breaking down overwhelming challenges into manageable steps works whether you're building a business or learning Tunisian crochet.

[Grab the book Everything Is Figureoutable here!]

If you want the full system for developing unshakeable confidence in your ability to learn anything, this book is essential reading for makers ready to stop limiting themselves.

Your Next Figureoutable Challenge

Right now, go to that pattern that's been sitting in your library. Open it up. Instead of closing it when you feel overwhelmed, write down one specific thing you don't understand.

Then ask: "How can I figure this out?"

Your future self - the one confidently working on "advanced" patterns - is waiting for you to start figuring it out.

P.S. Struggling with perfectionism around learning new techniques? Check out my previous post on The Brené Brown Approach to Perfectionist Crochet Syndrome - because figuring things out requires embracing imperfection along the way.

What pattern have you been avoiding? Shoot me an email and let me know what you're going to try first!

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