Analysis paralysis is a very real phenomenon that is easy to fall victim to, stopping many from ever launching their ideas.
People sometimes over analyze all the possible outcomes of making a decision, preventing them from making any choice at all.
Wikipedia describes analysis paralysis as:
Analysis paralysis or paralysis by analysis is the state of over-analyzing (or over-thinking) a situation so that a decision or action is never taken, in effect paralyzing the outcome. A decision can be treated as over-complicated, with too many detailed options, so that a choice is never made, rather than try something and change if a major problem arises. A person might be seeking the optimal or "perfect" solution upfront, and fear making any decision which could lead to erroneous results, while on the way to a better solution.[1]
The phrase describes a situation in which the opportunity cost of decision analysis exceeds the benefits that could be gained by enacting some decision, or an informal or non-deterministic situation where the sheer quantity of analysis overwhelms the decision-making process itself, thus preventing a decision.
The best way to overcome analysis paralysis is to take action. Any action is better than no action at all.
Whenever I find myself feeling scared to make a decision, I do this little exercise.
- First I make a list of my desired outcomes. For example, what I want to feel, do, have, or be.
- I make a list of all my options I can identify.
- I match my list of option with my list of desired outcomes and rank the list of options to the list of outcomes. The options that move me closer to the outcomes get ranked higher.
- I draw a line through the options that I think I should do in favor of options that I need to do and would move me closer to desired outcomes.
- I look at the top 3 options and pick one based on my gut instinct.
Now, I know this is not very scientific but it works for me and keeps my life moving forward. It's much better than getting stuck like a deer in headlights.
My father used to say to me, "Son, if you're going through hell, whatever you do, don't stop there. Keep going!". I eventually learned just what he meant and used the lesson to keep going even when life is good.
Long ago I was a chronic worrier until I started making notes during the day of all the things I worried about. Turns out only 10% of the things I worried about actually happened. The other 90% never manifested anywhere accept in my mind and wasted my energy. If I could redirect that energy to focusing on solutions for the 10% of my worries that did happen, my life would work easier.
Once I learned not to worry so much and to just take action towards my dreams, I found I could do most anything as long as it was in line with my desires.
Magically, solutions would appear just in time and with no effort on my part. Just like an artist begins a painting with vague lines on a canvas and slowly brings the detail to life, so does an architect, a builder, an entrepreneur.
We can never know all the problems that may present themselves on our journey towards creating something, but once you know the reason why you want to do something, you don't need to have all the answers to begin.
Faith becomes tangible once the first step is taken towards a goal and quantum physics come into play, drawing the pieces of your dream together by some invisible, magnetic force until others can begin to see it bloom into the world.
An entrepreneur is someone who jumps off a cliff and builds a plane on the way down.
Perfection is another vanity that prevents people from taking action. They want everything to be perfect before anyone sees what they are doing, and impossibility that stalls progress.
Perfectionism will not only make you unhappy, less likely to take risks, and will skew your priorities away from what’s really important, but trying to be perfect prevents you from getting things done.
Psychology Today describes perfectionism as:
For perfectionists, life is an endless report card on accomplishments or looks. It's a fast track to unhappiness, and perfectionism is often accompanied by depression and eating disorders. What makes perfectionism so toxic is that while those in its grip desire success, they are most focused on avoiding failure, so theirs is a negative orientation. And love isn't a refuge; in fact, it feels way too conditional on performance. credit
I played music professionally and would sometimes see musicians who were perfectionists be unable to perform in the studio. They would hear mistakes that no one else could hear and want to do another take of their performance ad nauseum. We never did use any of their recording at all those days.
Fear of making a mistake is something that prevents many from trying new things and to me is the saddest affliction as some of the most magical and innovative discoveries were uncovered by mistake.
In fact, mastery of any craft or trade comes from making and correcting countless mistakes. That's how to excel at anything and so, losing the fear of making mistakes is something that one should strive for.
Fear of making mistakes comes from a belief system that it's wrong to make mistakes and the reality is everyone makes them and it's necessary for innovation.
This belief system goes something like this.
I can learn without making mistakes: Do you know how learning happens? its a process of continuously making mistakes and adjusting your methods until you no longer make mistakes. No wonder people who think that mistaking is shameful have a low self esteem for they never give themselves the chance to develop a new skill that can make them feel good about themselves
Its shameful to make a mistake: In the Solid Self confidence program i said that when people are brought up to believe that making mistakes is a shameful act they lose their self confidence when they grow up because the human nature always forces them to make mistakes. This belief is usually learned when the parents shout at the little kid or embarrass him in public when he makes a mistake. At this point the child starts to believe that its too shameful to make a mistake credit
Once you overcome this negative belief system and lose the fear of not having all the answers to potential problems that will arise when taking on a new challenge, a certain freedom washes over you that reinforces a belief that no matter what happens, everything will come together better than you can imaging and will move you towards your desires.
Life becomes like surfing and you ride the wave, not caring if you wipe out because you know there will be another wave coming right behind that last one.
Life is meant to be lived, not planned. In my life, I feel I have lived many lives all packed into one, in large part because I have used these methods of moving towards desires rather than planning every minute detail.
Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans
- John Lennon in Beautiful Boy
A Taste Of Inspiration
Some of you may know I'm moving back to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico and just deciding has opened some doors to help me along me journey.
Just a few miles south of Playa is a town called Tulum where a woman named Melissa Perlman started a place called Bikini Bootcamp and she is a perfect example of someone who just took action to make her dream a reality.
If you're on the fence about doing something you've always wanted to do and need a little inspiration for just going for it, then watch this video. You'll love it.
From NYC to Bikini Bootcamp in Tulum, Mexico | EX-PATS™ Ep. 11 Full | Reserve Channel
Related Posts
Why Deciding To Move Back To Mexico Is The Best Move For Me