Break Through Analysis Paralysis and Move Forward Confidently

Throughout the course of the day, we make tons of little decisions. Many of them are so automatic, that we aren’t even consciously aware of making them. However, for some people, the act of decision making can be an incredibly stressful process.

So, what’s the difference? Why are some decisions easy to make and others are so hard that we get stuck in analysis paralysis?

The answer is the emotional weight we give to any individual decision. Our subconscious (AKA your emotional brain) is concerned with fitting in, avoiding judgment, and being loved or accepted by others.

To this brain, if you make a decision that would upset others, then you might be rejected. If you have a pattern of people pleasing, perfectionism, or co-dependency, then you may be sabotaging yourself more often than you think.

In addition, there’s something called a cognitive distortion. This is a pattern of thinking where you create an “untrue” belief. The most common cognitive distortion is called polarized thinking. This trick of the brain will make you believe that only 2 answers are available to you for any given problem. Examples include right or wrong, black or white, good or bad, left or right etc.

Usually, there are a multitude of choices for any given situation. However, if your brain makes you feel like there are only 2 answers, then clearly only one of them will be “right”. If that were true, then you would feel an increased sense of stress or pressure to make the right decision to avoid failure and rejection.

This subconscious process makes every decision an important one. So, for people stuck in this loop, there’s no such thing as an easy decision!

The good news is that it is possible for you to break this subconscious loop of analysis paralysis and move forward confidently.

Step 1 is understanding why analysis paralysis occurs to begin with and we’ve just covered that. So, lets’ move on.

Step 2: Don’t beat yourself up for needing a little extra time to make a decision. If you’ve been subconsciously stuck in the analysis paralysis loop for a long time, then you may have some low self-esteem or negative stories around your ability to make decisions at all. Be gentle with yourself! Beating yourself up only reinforces negative mindsets that need to be broken. Remember, your subconscious brain will believe anything you tell it, good or bad. So, start with this affirmation, “I’m able to make a decision that works for me.”

Step 3: Make a pro/con list and give yourself a time limit to debate the possibilities. Analysis paralysis can last forever if you let it. One of the unfortunate consequences of this sabotage is missing out on opportunities you would have preferred and instead having to deal with whatever is left. This can create fear, resentment, and reinforce a sense of low self-esteem. By giving yourself a deadline to make a decision, you take control and create a plan of action to follow. Endlessly debating an issue isn’t going to move you forward.

Step 4: When you’re looking at your pro/con list tune into what you would really want if things like money, time, energy, failure, judgement, and rejection didn’t exist. In other words, if everyone was happy for you and would support you no matter what, plus you have the means to go in any direction, what would you do? What’s the option you’d prefer if you didn’t have to worry about anyone else? It’s important to identify your wants, needs, and preferences in any given decision. Otherwise, you’ll let your people pleasing pattern take over and knock you off course by making a decision that works for others but not so much for you.

Understanding and overcoming limiting beliefs, sabotages, and negative mindsets are my specialty! If you’d like to take the next step to break the cycle of analysis paralysis in your life, then book your consultation or appointment HERE.

April Darley is a Resilience Coach specializing in helping people release stress, anxiety, pain, and sabotaging behavior. Through the Three Brain Realignment Technique (TBRT), you'll learn how to step into your own power, comfortably deal with life's challenges, and stay calm and balanced.