Analysis Paralysis?

[A Recycled Light]

Does anyone else have this problem? How can one get over this issue without feeling like they are thinking too little? Where is the middle ground?

[Tanja]

In what situations does that happen?
Are there situations where you don't have that problem?

In my case, analysis paralysis would come about when I thought I would make a wrong choice, and it would keep me in this limbo...and of course, analyzing everything and not making a choice...was a choice as well.
What it boiled down to, basically, was that I was afraid if I chose ''wrong'' I'd end up unhappy
What helped me was to realize that I could equally be happy choosing one or the other. I think this is true in most cases.

[spacecadetglow]

Tanja, I agree. I often doubt myself too, fearing that I've made the wrong choice. These days I don't think wrong choices really exist. Any road will take you there. More often than not, though, I catch myself thinking, "Wow, I'm really glad I made this decision."

Recycled Light, I'm right there with ya. The best thing to do, IMO, is catch yourself doing it (overanalyzing) and just observe the thoughts, in a meditative fashion. Don't let them carry you away by identifying too much. Some attachment to the thoughts is inevitable, but I do think a middle ground exists, like you're hoping for. If you're anything like me, sometimes you'll do a really great job of convincing yourself that you need to figure something out *NOW* (lol), but realize that when you're in that state of mind, you're not likely to come to a peaceful solution. Just give it time, and things will sort themselves out. They always do.

Also: start meditating. It's helped everything.

[Lakshyayidhi Lakshmihi]

Do some strenuous physical activity. Get OUT of your head.

Just Be. That is being free.

[A Recycled Light]

Thanks all, your advice was very helpful. I have never tried meditating and I'm not sure I really understand what that means. I am not spiritual, and I have always associated meditating with "spiritual things." I think that's why I've never thought of trying it. Can someone explain meditation? Is it just calming down and being at peace with yourself?

And yes, it happens in situations where I feel I will make the wrong choice. It also happens when it comes to whether or not I think I will make the right impression on people so I think too hard about how I am presenting myself or what I will say and do. I feel the need to control how others view me, even though I know that I can't really do that. Still, I like to believe that I can influence others on how they see me, but perhaps to an unnecessary degree. I know, it's a little strange.

Oh yeah, I sometimes drive myself crazy with what ifs, as well. I guess that goes along with being afraid I made the "wrong" choice.

Anyway, a good friend of mine that I really respect mentioned to me that he meditates. I think that is something I would like to learn more about.

[AlexWork]

From my experience, and the experience of others I have worked with, analysis-paralysis manifests itself for two reasons--

1. Heightened Sense of Caution. We continue to analyze because we are scared that things will slip to the wayside. We perceive the risk of us failing to be greater than it really is, and in some way, we don't trust ourselves to be okay if things don't come together the way we hope. So instead of facing up to this irrational fear, we search for new and "better" ways to do things we want to do, or search for additional advice, etc.

2. Procrastination. By analysing and looking over our plans, tweaking them and adjusting them, we are delaying the inevitable-- and that is having to act. We figure that if we stare harder and longer at the same numbers on the page/scale/whatever, that eventually at some point they will look back at us and tell us to act. We all know this isn't the case.

At times turning your brain off and throwing caution into the wind is the only way to get mobile again.

[sandy]

when you noticed yrself is already analyzing too much just stop yourself. Breathe and keep breathing and tell yourself it's OK to let your thoughts sit there for a while and you can always keep dealing with it next time with better fresh mind

later you can learn to set a limit to yourself so you can stop yourself before getting yr head spinning crazily there like for me i love reading and when i found i read too much sometimes even read for the sake of reading and getting the disgusting pleasure from forcing myself reading at least 10,000 words everyday, i stopped myself and made a rule for me : read 3-5,000 words only daily. And I am feeling much happier with my new rule and sometimes I even didn't reach my limit I still stop reading if I feel just *full* with the amount I read that day

[LostMyMap]

Originally Posted by A Recycled Light

Does anyone else have this problem? How can one get over this issue without feeling like they are thinking too little? Where is the middle ground?

Analysis Paralysis. Good term from the engineering world. The best way I've seen to combat this from an engineering perspective is the 80% rule. If you feel like you're getting stuck, look to see if you have at least 80% of everything you need for the particular issue you are working on. That usually means you have enough to get started, and the rest can get figured out while you are moving ahead.

It doesn't have to be a specific number. Just when you feel you have enough to actually move forward. In other words "I don't have to have everything figured out before I do anything. I just need enough figured out to start doing something."

Make sense?

[Smarky]

I have this problem, I have at big time, so maybe i am not the best person to comment on this. That's one of the problems, advice and lots of information coming from people that is not helpful.

Do you want to take bodybuilding advice from a hugely over weight person!?

Somethings I have noticed personally though, is when I am at work and there is lots of stuff going on, I don't have this problem what's so ever, why? because I have to do my job, i have to get things done.

I have this problem at home, when nobody is around and i am stuck in my room or on the computer. That's when i have nothing better to do than think, so think I do..... thinking about all the stuff i should be doing and looking at how best to do it, rather than actually doing it.

If this was at my job, I wouldn't even have the chance of doing that. It wouldn't be an option. Maybe there needs to be a bit more urgency to things and a little less options (ie cut out the information coming in and listen to yourself, hint: pointless internet crap)

[chrisrushton]

I used to have that problem.

I stopped thinking and started doing and started winging it.

I remember an interesting thought experiment where you are sat with your subconscious in the cockpit of a plane you don't really know how to fly. Ask your subconscious for the flight manual.

You: Give me the flight manual.
Subconscious: No way man, because then you'll go and fly the plane
Y: Look, I've found the throttle. You'd better give me the manual
SC: No, stop.
Y: We're starting to move forward, I don't know how to fly this plane
SC: You can still stop it, I'm not giving you the manual
Y: We're heading toward the runway and gaining speed. You going to give me the manual yet?
SC: NO!
Y: Look, this is going down, you'd better give me the manual
SC: OK, here's the manual now don't kill us all

10 points to anyone who knows who said this by the way.

The point of this is deep down you know how to live so just live. It's ingrained in your psyche. Don't try to cover every eventuality and over think yourself. Get out there and start doing and everything will become clearer.

Life is what happens when we're busy making other plans

5 points for that one, it's a bit less esoteric.