Whitney A. White is CEO & founder of Afara Global, and creator of the transformational coaching program, Take back your time.
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As the founder of innovation company Afara Global, I have worked with many organizations and high performing individuals focused on growth. They often come up with tons of great ideas for business, growth and change. However, I’ve found that this can often lead to feeling overwhelmed and unable to move forward – a phenomenon that “analysis paralysis.”
Often top performers believe that the only way to succeed is to constantly rush and innovate. They spend late nights and early mornings running themselves ragged. Suddenly they don’t even have the energy to pursue their best ideas. If you’re prone to this mindset, I’m here to tell you: There’s a better way.
Beat analysis paralysis in 3 steps
When people have ambitious professional goals and aspirations, they often lack specific direction or have too many competing priorities competing for their attention. In short, they have to do less to achieve more. By managing your time more strategically, you can enjoy freedom and abundance in your life while enjoying your health, happiness and personal peace.
If you’re dealing with analysis paralysis and don’t know where to start, here are three steps I used.
1. Understand when you hit the wall
Knowing what analytic paralysis looks like is the first step in removing it from your process. If you find yourself surrounded by partially formed ideas, unsure of what action to take, and constantly frustrated, then you are stuck in analysis paralysis.
Analysis paralysis is common rooted in fear and self-doubt. Never fully pursuing anything or getting bogged down in the research phase can be a self-preservation tactic to avoid potential mistakes or failures. However, this keeps you from your own potential. Once you understand this hang-up, you can work to get past it.
2. Choose a specific pain point
It may seem obvious to say that narrowing your focus is the solution to beating analysis paralysis. But it really works! If you spread yourself too thin, you actually diminish your ability to get great results.
When I first developed my coaching practice, a friend pointed out that despite my ability to solve problems, I was operating from a scattered place. Instead of focusing on a single priority, I was mired in analysis paralysis, considering half a dozen different avenues. My friend challenged me to focus on the group I wanted to serve and the most pressing problem they had to solve.
Being able to prioritize was a game changer. By focusing on this specific pain point, I was able to redirect my energy and reduce the mental noise. If you’re stuck in analytical paralysis, try organizing your ideas by importance, convenience, or what you’re most passionate about. Then choose one!
3. Just get started
It sounds simplistic, but sometimes just getting started – even with a test – makes all the difference. After all, the only way to really know if your idea or plan will work is to try it.
When I was developing a new coaching program, I sent emails to a curated list of people in my network. When enough customers responded with interest, I had proof that the program could be a successful venture once I fully fleshed it out. Knowing this allowed me to work without fear. But it would have been a valuable test even if no one responded. I would have known not to invest any more time in an idea that had no legs.
Analysis paralysis can often keep you from getting started by making lame excuses to throw in the towel instead of pursuing your idea. To get over this, you need to know the difference between a legitimate barrier and an excuse. Then you must take responsibility for your future and do what it takes to succeed.
For example, a client of mine had spent months developing a line of eyewear specifically designed to fit and flatter people of African descent. She was about to find a manufacturer that could make her business a reality, but when she arrived late to a major networking event, she found herself on the wrong side of the velvet rope. She could have made the excuse that “it wasn’t supposed to be” and just left. But with big investors on the other side, she knew she couldn’t miss this opportunity. So she located one of the organizers and asked to be admitted. Taking this risk worked; she was let in! This shows how getting past your excuses can help you succeed.
Whether it’s your personal or professional goals, analysis paralysis keeps you from living the life you want. Fortunately, it’s not an insurmountable problem. Learning to prioritize and overcome your self-doubt will take you one step closer to success.
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