Conquering Analysis Paralysis (The One Thing Truly Holding You Back)
Analysis paralysis is when you begin to overthink a decision so much that the choice never ends up getting made.
Don't let analysis paralysis disrupt your decision making. Learn how to conquer this paralyzing thought process and get on with accomplishing your goals.
1. Avoid Analysis Paralysis by Differentiating Between Big and Small Decisions
One of the most important steps to fighting decision paralysis is learning how to identify what is a big or a small decision.
To figure this out ask yourself, how important is this decision? What is the long term effects of the choice I make? What are the pros or cons of my choice?
If the decision you are trying to make will not impact your life a year from now, or there are no big consequences as a result of your choice then do not spend a lot of time thinking about it. Make your decision and then move on.
If the problem at hand is going to make an impact on you further down the road and there can be some fallout from it, then you do need to spend time to think it over. Big decisions can be tough, so it might be beneficial to write out a pros and cons list. Sometimes just writing it down can help you sort things out.
For any decisions that fall in between, then take a decent amount of time to think on it, but spend too much of your time on it before moving on.
2. Determine What Your Goals Are
Sometimes when making a big decision it can seem like a daunting task. In order to work through your pros and cons, it's important to determine what your end goals are.
Take some time to think about what you want to get out of this choice you are making. Try and determine two or three things that are important to you and weigh the decision against your goal.
Once you have determined what you want to get out of it, then the decision will be easier to make.
3. Stop Trying to be a Perfectionist
If you tend to be a perfectionist in all things you do, then you may find yourself paralyzed by indecision continuously.
It's time to realize that it is almost impossible to make a perfect choice every time. There are far too many variables that come in to play and you will spend too much of your time trying to make the perfect decision.
Instead, focus on making the best choice for your situation and then move on while making the best out of your choice.
4. Seek out Second Opinions
Sometimes when struggling with making a decision we can get caught up in the details and miss the bigger point.
This is a good time to ask advice from someone that you trust and who may offer a different viewpoint or call attention to something you hadn't thought of.
Be wary of asking too many people though, as this may muddy up the original question at hand and leave you more confused than when you started.
Are You Ready to Give It a Try?
Follow these tips and get on a path to avoiding analysis paralysis for future decisions. Hopefully, you will be able to free yourself from spending to much time on making choices and spend more time doing the things you enjoy.
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