Paralysis of Analysis

Statistics has never been my forte. I concentrate on things that I understand and put everything in its logical order. We are constantly working with systems everyday of our lives. Each system,subsystems has logical step by step formats for example.
1. The way a car works-everything in order
2. A computer also works with a system.
3. Building a house has a sequence for example-Build the foundation first.
3. Electricity is a form of a natural system.To make this system work for our benefit-we flick the switch.

I am unfortunately a person that is also very analytical about all my investments opportunities, In my opinion it is actually a very very awesome trait to have if we can tame it.

The best way I've been able to overcome it - is to realize the only way to truly fail - is to stop trying. In school we're taught to avoid failure - but in the real world the best way to learn, is from our mistakes.

For example, In the real world We learn to walk after taking a step at a time falling and getting back up, we learn to ride a bike the same way, a majority of lessons in the real world we learn from our mistakes.

The person that learns the most from their mistakes is the person that makes the most money,

this outlook was one of the ways I've finally been able to let the rubber hit the road - and start going after my dreams.

When we fail - we can use our analytical minds to dissect our mistakes and find out exactly how we failed - and never do it again, and more importantly profit from it!

I was always concerned with failing and always will be - but now I hope to always FAIL at something and keep setting higher goals, and venture into areas of opportunity that I have absolutely know nothing of to learn from my mistakes. Because now I have the drive to learn from my mistakes and become better, stronger, and faster each time I fall.

A quote From one of Robert Kiyosaki's books that stuck out to me was

"A poor/middle class person looks at how they can lose when something goes wrong, While a rich person looks at how to WIN even if something goes wrong."

I hope this helps
-Nadeem

I do little analyzing these days and follow my intuition. The facts often lie. In addition, when you spend countless hours analyzing the facts the person who puts their head down and moved forward into the unknown, armed with minimal knowledge and intense desire to succeed made a fortune.

Such is the difference between book smarts (or books smarts in its elementary stages) and street smarts.

- Ryan

Hmmm, seems to me that spending 'too much time' checking statistical data and analysing it to death might be an excellent way to completely avoid putting in the necessary work required to get key tasks done quickly and improve your business.

D'you think you might be - subconsiously of course - avoiding success for some reason? Is there are fear of the possibility of failure? The level of responsibility success might entail? The possibility that friends/family/colleagues may change the way they see you, or try to put you down in some way?

It might prove worthwhile taking a day or two to consider these issues in place of the statistical data, then working out a way to eliminate whatever those issues are so you can become productive again.

Good luck!


Andrea, The English Webmistress
(who, it just so happens, is also a trained therapist of 18 years experience!)

I used to be the same way. Stop thinking & start doing. Over analyzing is OCD.

Sometimes I just need to DO something, anything just to create some initial momentum to get me started and keep me going. I understand though. We want to have everything just right sometimes. Occasionally, I just follow my "gut" and get started with something just to get some inertia.

This is how I try to deal with Analysis Paralysis:
1. I pick on a small project that I can complete in less than a day
2. I work on it from start to finish
3. After completing the project, I go for one of my other hobbies
4. The following day I analyse how well I worked on the small project
5. This then gives me the confidence to re-do the small project from start to finish perfectly.
6. I then pick on a bigger project and repeat the cycle.

I find that I am more result-oriented this way, and I still get time to analyze without getting paralyzed.

I do it in a similar way. I write down the things I have to do for the next day. I prefer to do it at night because in that way in the morning I already know what I have to do, and don't have to loose time organizing.

KEEP IT SiMPLE

My problem USED to be I wanted everything perfect before I would try to implement any systems which I realized was really a fear of failure. One day I just decided to ACT and take action, and fix any bugs and hiccups along the way. I actually got over my fear by listening to a song one day, I dont remember the song, just the lyrics that said "If you want to fly you cant be afraid to fall" or something like that.

Best option in such cases is to start with small project till the end. If this works easily then jump into slightly bigger projects.

paralysis of analysis.

Just for a deeper understanding I've looked for definition.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines the word 'analysis' as "The separation of an intellectual or substantial whole into its constituent parts for individual study." or to determine either their nature (qualitative analysis) or their proportions (quantitative analysis). and Paralyze as " To make unable to move or act: paralyzed by fear"

What's important to note is the outcome of your analysis. is it leading you to some positive, step-taking solution or is it holding you back or paralyzing ?.

Anthony Robbins once said that 'Fred smith the owner of Federal express got a C-minus report from a reputed business university for his express delivery business plan and instead of getting paralyzed he considered that as an 'outcome' and went ahead and the rest is history.
The thing is 'we always succeed in producing the result or outcome and may be it's not the one we intended for but it's ok.

My view is take action if it's worth the risk - as figures are always changing and sometimes are not so reliable especially if it deals with human nature whose variables are not fixed.