I can turn the act of thinking into an Olympic sport. Actually, I perform the act of thinking in a way that I believe it should probably earn me an Olympic medal. But maybe not a gold medal. You see I am a chronic overthinker. The simplest of thoughts in my mind can be examined at such a deep scale that I very easily can lose the original intent of the thought. I can take what seems like an easy decision and spend hours making it a difficult choice. Trying to solve a problem can often lead to off ramps, rabbit holes and caves of great proportion, usually due to my ability to become easily distracted, or my anxiety around doing something perfectly, or at least in the best way possible. Mostly I am paralyzed by options. So many options.
It can be the most simple thing, such as purchasing a new pair of cycling shorts. I just resumed cycling, and bought a road bike. I need padded shorts for comfort. The problem lies in the sheer amount of options out there. Chamois, gel…different colors, different lengths. Good grief. Too many options. I can think of all of the things I would like, then all of the things that might work with this thing over that thing. Nothing seems just right. I spent hours looking at shorts. Too many hours.
And then there is the phenomenon of analysis paralysis. Too many choices usually means that I can’t make a choice. What if I make the wrong choice? What if I have to get another pair because I didn’t get the right pair in the first place? Will gel last longer than chamois? Is the pair at this website cheaper than at that website? Is cheaper necessarily better? If I get the cheap pair, will they not last as long as the more expensive pair?
And then down the rabbit hole – it will get colder soon. I should look at long pants. If I need long pants then I need a long sleeve jersey. Look at all of the colors and designs! Do they have anything in my favorite color? Do they have anything that isn’t so flowery? What was that website that I saw last week that had that jersey that I liked?
Once I have traveled down the path of analysis paralysis and overwhelm, I am utterly exhausted and unable to make the simple choice that I initially set out to make. So I end this endeavor with nothing. Well, I have one thing: frustration. You would think that the frustration would help me break this pattern. But it continues time and time again.
So I have been working to develop a strategy to end this annoying behavior. I heard a great phrase from Josh Hatch: Make a decision, then make it right. Stop waiting for the perfect time, the perfect thing, the absolute right pair of cycling shorts. Pick one. If it isn’t right, you can pick another one that hopefully is more right than the first one. This isn’t a one strike and you’re out kind of world. You will screw up, but you can get another chance. Messing up isn’t the end of the world. Stop overthinking and underacting. Take some action. And if that doesn’t work out the way you hoped, take some more action. Until you get what you want.