I have a frustrating mental habit: whenever I need to think hard, I automatically shift my attention toward my breathing. I developed this habit because focusing on my breathing made me feel more aware and in control of my thoughts. Over time, the association between needing to think hard and focusing on breathing became automatic.

I’ve since realized that this way of thinking isn’t particularly effective, so I’d like to break the habit and learn to think differently.

One common recommendation is to notice when you’re about to perform a habit and do something else instead. However, during rapid thinking, I shift attention to my breathing so quickly that I don’t even notice until afterward.

How can I weaken an automatic mental habit if it happens too quickly to catch? Has anyone successfully overcome something similar?