Many of my clients come to me with a dangerous case of "Analysis Paralysis".

The symptoms include:


A compulsive need for constant research
Lack of sleep, confidence and motivation
An ongoing inability to choose between choices A & B
A pattern of adding choices C, D & E as possible "alternatives"
Perpetual Procrastination

This "condition" seems to come about when highly capable people are faced with potentially life altering decisions.
Of course, the victims of acute "Analysis Paralysis" seem to feel that EVERY decision can be life altering - which is why they become so terrified of making the WRONG decision, that they instead make no decision at all.

Are you STILL debating over the same decision? Are you finding yourself stuck and unable to move forward?

If you find yourself suffering from "Analysis Paralysis", the following tips may be just the push you need to move forward and move on!

How To Choose...

1. Get Smart

It is prudent to do the necessary research. Consider your options and gather your information. A decision backed by wisdom and knowledge is often easier to make.

2. But.. not TOO smart

Set yourself a deadline. The truth is, all the research in the world is no guarantee about how it will "all turn out". And there is NO way to get that kind of guarantee... so any attempts to try are futile. Demand balance and action of yourself by setting yourself a deadline AHEAD of time when research time is over and decision time arrives.

Be forewarned, if you tell yourself that you will keep looking until you "know enough"... that time will likely never come, and you can be sentencing yourself to a life term of "looking into" life rather than living it.

3. Practice Deciding

To give credit where it is due, thank you Dr. Phil! ;-) If you find yourself going back and forth between two possibilities, try each option on for 1 week.

For example, if you are trying to decide between two businesses, tell yourself today (and for the next 7 days), that you are going with Biz A. Put Biz B completely aside, and focus on how you feel now that you have "made" a decision. Are you excited? Relived? Or are you anxious and unsatisfied?

Regret, anxiousness and nausea may be signs that Biz A is NOT the choice for you. When it's time to practice choosing Biz B, you may notice a dramatically different gut feeling.

4. Leap - with an audience

Once you've researched for an APPROPRIATE amount of time, and tried on each choice... the only thing left to do is MOVE. Get yourself an audience that will encourage you to follow through - tell a friend, or a spouse, or a coach.

It's amazing what we will do to keep a commitment to casual on-lookers that we struggle to do for ourselves. You can beat yourself about WHY that is... or USE IT to your advantage!

Many of my clients have found complete relief of "Analysis Paralysis" when they put these tips into practice. They have discovered the relief and confidence that comes from moving forward and getting on with life... and it is a dramatic contrast to the feelings of confusion and uncertainty.

Britt Reints is a Professional Life Coach specializing in coaching entreprenuers (and wanna-be's) to add Profit, Passion & Purpose to their lives - and their business!