The 'analysis paralysis'; when you think too much it becomes a problem
Our day to day is completely crossed by a multitude of decisions . Some of them, in addition, are quite important: deciding which car to buy, choosing which course to register, confessing something or not to someone, etc. Being in a position to have to make a relevant decision can be a source of anxiety, and we are not always able to manage this type of emotion.
Many times, instead of taking action and exposing ourselves to the negative consequences of the mistake, we remain anchored in the point of imagining possible scenarios that will occur when we behave in one way or another. This psychological state portrays very well a concept that has emerged within the theory of decision: the analysis paralysis .
What is the analysis paralysis?
Defined well above, the analysis paralysis it is an error in the decision making that occurs when a person or a computer becomes immobilized in the phase of previous analysis of the problem and a concrete action plan is never implemented.
Taking it more to the field of psychology, one can define the paralysis of analysis as the situation in which someone is immersed imagining possible options but never gets to use any of them and no plan is materialized.
Let's go to the concrete
Have you ever thought about writing a novel, movie or series? Have you stopped to think about the characters and situations that could appear in it?
It is possible that you have been giving a lot of thought to the plot and the elements that could appear in this work of fiction, and it is also very possible that the vast amount of possibilities that open up before you has seemed so overwhelming that you have not even written more than some first schematic pages. This scenario is an example of analysis paralysis, because the previous analysis, far from becoming a means to achieve an end, becomes a difficult obstacle to overcome And, no matter how much you contribute to getting involved in a plan or project, it never gets developed.
Of course, the paralysis of the analysis does not have to be limited to the cases in which you want to produce something material. It can also appear in your relationship with other people. Here is a fictitious example that will probably sound to you:
How will he take it if I tell him so? No, I better tell you in this other way ... or no, better that way. Although this would have the problem that ... This constant reflection on what to do and the consequences of the acts can mean that we do not know how to decide for any of the options, leading us towards a dynamic of inaction .
Opportunity cost and real-world problems
Of course, the paralysis of the analysis would not be a problem if the analysis of possible situations and the anticipation of problems that might arise would not consume time and effort. However, in the real world, stopping to think too much can make things never happen.
The opportunity cost is what turns the paralysis of the analysis into a problem, and that is why we should take the analysis phase of possible decisions according to their practicality . Stopping to analyze something for too long deprives us not only of other experiences, but also of learning based on experience, trial and error. Analyzing what is and what can happen is useful because it serves to act accordingly, not because the mere fact of recreating ourselves in what goes through our heads during this phase is going to provide us with some kind of material benefit.
We must also bear in mind that there are cases in which the paralysis of the analysis is only in appearance. Someone who has a good time imagining possible novels may not have the real intention of writing anything: simply, practice mental gymnastics . In the same way, imagining things or even drawing plans in a systematic way can be stimulating in itself, provided that these thoughts have nothing to do with a real situation that requires an answer. Learning to distinguish between both types of situations may require some practice, but investing time in looking at those things can translate into real benefits.
