Is Analysis Paralysis The Reason for Your Inaction?

You’ve read the title, and now you are wondering what is analysis paralysis, right? I don’t remember where I first used the term, but it has stayed with me in a way that whenever I feel like I am being affected by it, I will quickly take a step back and reevaluate. I will tell myself that something needs to be changed and then think about what that change is in this situation.

Analysis Paralysis is when we have too many options, and we get so overwhelmed that we fail to choose an option at all. It is a state of over-analyzing a situation or problem, and as a result, a decision or action is never taken; as a result, paralyzing the outcome.

How many of us are inspired to make changes in our life but never did because we fretted too much over it?

How many of us aimed for a goal but never did anything about it because again we thought too much about what goes into it and what comes from it?

How many of us failed to do anything because we were “researching” and wanted to be extra cautious about everything and watched the opportunity pass by?

We have all done this at one point in our lives – some on larger scales and some on smaller. We tend to overthink a lot when there is a huge change to be made or a big risk to be taken. In all honesty, I am not telling you to take the plunge with no research involved, but what we often don’t realize is that there comes the point when you have to leave the whiteboard and walk over to the workstation.

You can only think about so much, you can only do so many things to ensure everything goes smoothly, you can only think about so many risks that you can counter – unless you actually get down in the water you are not going to learn how to swim is basically my point.

One of the other reasons beside overthinking is that the longer we wait to do something, the easier it makes our brain to come up with reasons to stay put. When you are already scared of doing something, your brain wants to keep you as safe as possible and comes up with reasons to justify not taking the step. You start losing momentum as time passes, you lose motivation to carry on, your energy takes a nosedive as you do nothing, and in the end, you end up deciding not to do what you wanted to do at all.

Congratulations! You played it safe. Nothing changed. You are still where you were. Nothing lost, nothing gained. But, is that really so? It never is that simple. Once you miss an opportunity because you entered analysis paralysis or reasoned yourself into inaction, you will regret it for the unforeseeable future.

You will be plagued with the “what-ifs.” You will keep wondered how your life would have changed. It won’t let you rest. Whenever anything resembling what you were supposed to do will cross paths with you, you will instantly be transported to the “guilt and regret zone.”

Why do you think our brain finds a reason not to do things that scare us even a little?

Why do you think we like to stay in our comfort zones?

Our comfort zone is our safe zone, where there is no risk and no danger. So, every time we step outside our comfort zone, our brain senses it as a danger to us and sends a danger alert. We get used to a sort of routine with our lives, a safe routine, home-job-home is what most of us do. Anything outside of the norm shakes us up. It causes doubt, anxiety, and fear. This happens because as living creatures, we are wired to crave comfort and familiarity to keep ourselves safe.

Going against our protective instincts can be difficult, but most big changes we need to make, most goals we need to achieve will fall out of our comfort zones. Learning to differentiate the good anxiety of stepping out of your comfort zone from the bad of being in a wrong situation is really necessary to actually take action.

Being careful is one thing, but using it as an excuse is unacceptable. Researching every aspect is a smart move, but spending all your time only on research will get you nowhere.

How do you know when you have done enough?

How do you know that you are on the verge of entering analysis paralysis?

I will be writing a whole article on how to overcome analysis paralysis for you. So, come back for some tips to help you stop worrying and start doing.