Balanced Hypotheticals

How can you be decisive when you're facing a huge life-altering decision? Well, just imagine deciding whether or not to go back to school. It could open all kinds of new doors for your career. You could make helpful connections; you could learn about new avenues to explore within your field. But on the other hand, you'd be sacrificing a ton of your time and a whole lot of money. There's also no guarantee that you'll get anything out of it. After working your tail off for years, you might end up in the exact same place that you are right now.

Now, there are obvious advantages and disadvantages to both sides. So how do you make up your mind? Well, many people start with a pros and cons list. It's sort of like the one we just outlined. You write down all the good things on one side and all the bad things on the other, and then all you have to do is compare. In this case, you'd put opportunities, connections, and learning in the pros column while putting time, money, and uncertainty in the cons column. When they're side by side, it's a lot easier to figure out which option carries the most weight.

But there's one thing a pros and cons list just can't do: it doesn't account for the way your life's going to change. Pros and cons lists sometimes feel unsatisfying because they don't take your emotions or your lifestyle into account. Sure, going back to school could be great for your career, but what if it makes you miserable? What if you end up overworked and unmotivated because you took on more than you could handle?

My point is, if you're making a life-changing decision, it's not just about the pros and cons. You need to consider things like your habits, your happiness, and your long-term goals. So let's go ahead and compare something else. Just visualize what your life would look like if you chose not to go back to school. How would you feel? How would your goals change? What kind of future do you see yourself having? Ask yourself these personal questions and then make sure you're being realistic. Write them down in their own column. Do the same thing for the opposite side. Paint a picture of a future where you do go back to school. You could even imagine the little things like your daily routines. Would going to school turn your life upside down, or would it help you develop a healthier lifestyle? Just like before, write your answers down in their own column.

Now look at your list. It isn't just pros and cons anymore; it captures two different futures, two possible ways that your life could pan out. Because when you make a big decision, it's not about the stuff you're deciding on; it's about how each path will shape you as an individual. So if you visualize your options, you can make decisions by choosing the you that you aspire to be.

Survey the Room

Asking for help doesn't make you indecisive. In fact, gathering outside opinions is a great way to get a better understanding of your problem. So if you're having an impossible time with something, take a quick survey. Talk to your friends, your co-workers, or family members. Explain the situation and see what they think.

This strategy works for a couple of different reasons. The first is that it gives you some new perspectives. Chances are you've been mulling over this issue for a long time. You've tried to approach it from every possible angle, but there's only so much that you can see. So whether you like it or not, you'll end up recycling the same points over and over again. Hey, don't worry; it's not your fault. You're just too invested in the problem to take a genuine step back.

But your friends aren't. They can approach the same issue with a clear head and a rational state of mind. So they might see things you never could. The second reason that surveys work has nothing to do with the people you're asking; it comes directly from you. As you explain the same information several times, you're basically talking yourself through the problem. By your fourth or fifth explanation, one option is going to start pulling ahead. And without realizing it, you'll be making better arguments for one side over the other. At that point, you don't really need people to weigh in on your decision. If you're leaning in one direction, you've already made up your mind.

The Incomplete Picture

Overthinkers feel like something's missing from every decision that they make. There's always more information they need to know, more options they need to explore, more perspectives they need to get. They keep searching and searching without realizing that they're diving way too deep.

The truth is an incomplete picture is still incredibly useful. Just imagine you're looking at a puzzle with a few pieces missing. You can still tell what the puzzle is, right? Well, a few missing pieces isn't going to turn a coral reef into an African safari. Decisions work the same way; they're going to be incomplete, but you know enough to make up your mind.

So try to approach every decision knowing that you're not going to get everything you want. There will be loose ends no matter how much you analyze it. But how do you know what information you can leave out? There's actually an easy way to narrow things down. You just need to figure out the pieces that you absolutely can't live without.

Let's say you're trying to choose between two jobs. Just ask yourself what factors would make you choose one job over the other. Is it salary? A good location? Maybe you're looking for more responsibility? If it's important enough to change your mind, well then, it's something you need to know. But if not, you can probably see the bigger picture without it.

Live by the Numbers

When your mind is moving a million miles an hour, you need some kind of anchor to hold you down, something stable and concrete. You see, most people get bogged down with abstract problems. You can't make up your mind because there isn't really a correct answer. Everything's opinion-based; it's all up in the air. You might be feeling option A one day and then option B the next.

But what if I asked you this: which is more money, five dollars or $100? Obviously, $100. It's not an opinion; it's just a fact. You're not going to wake up one morning and suddenly think five dollars is worth more. That's the beauty of concrete problems. There's a right answer, so you don't need to waste time overthinking.

But how do you turn an abstract issue into a concrete solution? Well, instead of jumping into your thoughts, do your research. Gather some data, let the numbers speak for themselves. Sometimes emotions are important things to consider. Think back to those life-changing decisions that we talked about earlier. But other times, emotions just get in the way.

At work, for example, you shouldn't let feelings like fear stand in the way of your performance. You have to be decisive, and more importantly, you need to feel confident that you're making the right call. Living by the numbers doesn't just show you the most rational option; it gives you a reason to believe in your decision. I can't understate how important this is because the more you believe in yourself, the more decisive you'll be in the future.

Understand Your Gut

The phrase "go with your gut" gets thrown around a lot. It means you should follow your intuition, choose the option that feels right, even if you aren't entirely sure. But many chronic over-analyzers think this advice is a bunch of nonsense, and for good reason. How can your gut understand all the details of a really complicated situation?

Yeah, sure, your gut reaction may make sense in the moment, but how does that decision affect you in the long run? Overthinkers don't like to use their intuition because they're worried it doesn't know the whole story. But your intuition isn't some wishy-washy flip of the coin; it's a genuinely effective decision-making tool.

Why is that? Well, because it's a product of years of experience. Even if you can't consciously recall why one option feels better than the other, that doesn't mean it's random. Your intuition is an educated choice based on all your successes and failures. That's why some instincts are more valuable than others.

Just think about it. The instincts of a CEO with 40 years under her belt are worth a whole lot more than the instincts of a new intern. Thanks to all her experience, her instincts have been refined and developed. So if you want to stop overthinking, just learn to trust your intuition. You may not know what to do, but there's a good chance your gut does.

Flood the Negatives with Positives

Overthinking is a destructive cycle, especially for your productivity. When you realize you're diving too deep, what do you do? You might try to bury those thoughts or pretend the problem just doesn't exist. But it's almost like a song that's stuck in your head. The more you try to ignore it, the catchier it gets.

In other words, neglecting your indecisiveness means more stress, less focus, and a whole lot of negativity. So what's the best way to free your brain from this frustrating cycle? Bring those thoughts into the light. Put them center stage, and then make an active effort to challenge them.

You can do this yourself, but it helps to bring in some outside sources. Books, videos, and podcasts are all great tools to get you thinking about your decisions in a more positive way. They'll leave you feeling motivated and confident, which ultimately makes you more decisive.

So instead of pretending your obstacles aren't there, get inspired to challenge and overcome them.

Decision-Making Strategies	Benefits
Pros and Cons List	Organizes thoughts, weighs options
Survey the Room	Provides new perspectives
Live by the Numbers	Offers concrete solutions
Trust Your Gut	Utilizes intuition and experience

For more insights on decision-making, visit my website at Read Review Talk and check out the latest updates on my blog.