Analysis Paralysis - You Are Not One Choice
“Let the choices you make today be the choices you can live with tomorrow.” - Unknown
Free Will
Choice is a good thing, right? Or so it seems. Having the freedom of direction in life makes us feel in control of our own destiny– which, let’s be honest, sounds impressive.
But if you know anything about free will, you know it isn’t exactly that simple. Thoughts and feelings are the cause of constant influences occurring in the background of our life. We are unaware of many of these, yet they impact every little thing we do.
This doesn’t mean we can’t make our own decisions. But it does mean we should be mindful of who we are around, what we are consuming, when we participate in activities, where we are spending our time, and how/why we respond to an experience.
Analysis Paralysis
With too many choices, we can experience something called analysis paralysis. This means we become so overwhelmed with multiple options that it causes us to panic or freeze up. We overanalyze things and in turn, do nothing.
You’ve experienced this if you’ve ever turned on the TV or a streaming service and had so many options for shows to binge watch that you end up endlessly scrolling only to choose… none of them.
In order to work through analysis paralysis, first acknowledge that it’s happening. If you find yourself frozen, see that for what it is. Is the impending decision a big one? No wonder you feel overwhelmed— you care. Saying this to yourself can affirm your current emotional overwhelm. “It’s okay. I care. And it’s okay to care.” You are then ready to break through paralysis and free yourself of the weight of your current decision.
You Are Not One Choice
The fix for analysis paralysis? Limit your choices. Way easier said than done, of course. But if you ever find yourself freezing up or putting off action in life because of the number of possibilities, chop them down to just a few. Maybe even an either/or.
Then, what feels like the choice that would bring you closest to 100% YOU? What feels genuinely right… a step towards what people always refer to as your “authentic self?” Be critical. Trust your gut.
Make no mistake, 100% YOU is not perfection. We won’t necessarily ever become “100%” with ourselves anyways. Kind of a tricky notion here, but in plain speech? Do the next right thing. It won’t be perfect, it may be temporarily wrong, but at least it’s an action. And action beats indecision, any day.
If you still find yourself in a panic, realize something extremely important: You are not one choice. One decision does not define you. Choice 1, Choice 2, or Choice 3? You are not a number like some ordered meal from a fast food restaurant. You are you— a collection of choices performed over a lifetime. You are more like a Choice 2 + Choice 5 + 14 + 32 + 47 …
What does that equal? 100% YOU.
Second Guesses
Did you make a bad decision that knocked you down to ZERO? Try not to panic. Remember, it’s okay to care. Just do the next right thing to get back on track and start building towards 100% YOU again. That’s all you can do anyway.
We can’t go back and fix everything. So instead, take your present and create your future by doing the next right thing, getting you closer to future you… or at least the best version of you possible given any set of circumstances in any moment in time.
Use the constant knowledge and information gained, affirm to yourself you care, and do the next right thing.
Resources
For more motivation and learning, here are some resources on my AMAZON STOREFRONT I recommend checking out.
Imaginable by Jane McGonigal
When by Daniel Pink
Mindset by Carol Dweck
And more…
YouTube.com/MrTodnem Facebook.com/MrTodnem Instagram.com/ScottAmpersand