Analysis Paralysis And What To Do About It

I've given so much thought as to what my blog should focus on, that I'm afraid I may have crossed over into analysis paralysis. If you're unfamiliar with this term, I'm sure you're not unfamiliar with the effects of it.

Analysis paralysis is the term for the condition where you overthink things and get stuck in the planning stage of a project and never take action on it. It's possible to be stuck like this for a very long time. It's not uncommon for people to be frozen in place by analysis paralysis for years. Some people may never come out of it. I recently read an article about analysis paralysis, that recounted an extreme example of it. A man had an idea for a book he wanted to write. He exhaustively researched for this book but it was never quite enough. He always felt that he still needed to know more. In fact,he spent 20 years just dong research. Sadly, he passed away without ever having written his book. He obsessed over thinking he just needed to know a little bit more about the subject, even though he knew more about it than just about anyone else!

"Real artists ship."

-Steve Jobs

So what can we do to avoid being stuck in analysis paralysis, or even worse, get unstuck from it? Often times, our hesitation comes from fear. This is a normal reaction to being judged. Anytime we do anything creative and put it out into the world, we will be judged. This isn't necessarily a negative thing. Some people will love and appreciate the work you did(and that's awesome!), and some people will not like it(or even hate it), and that's ok too. But even knowing this, fear is a powerful emotion. It serves to protect us from harm. If we don't share our creation with the world, then our psyche can't be harmed by harsh criticism. But at the same time, we fail to encourage, enrich, or inspire others through our work. 

Fear is something that will never go away. It may diminish, but will never entirely disappear. One good way to manage fear is to have a support system of like-minded people to encourage you and push you to be your best. Without it, failing to deliver your creations to the world becomes too easy. Enlist friends and family, search social media groups or comment on blogs that interest you. The point is, get a system that works for you and gives you the courage you need to deliver!

What Do You Think?

Have you ever been stuck in analysis paralysis? If you pushed past it, how did you do it? Share your thoughts in the comments below!