Do you find yourself over-analyzing business decisions to the point where the real issue can no longer be recognized? For example taking too many hours trying to figure out which blog software to use, which hosting service, or which product to launch next in your virtual store? You’ve looked at things from every angle and still can’t seem to make a decision or move into action? When you get yourself so deeply entrenched with the details, brainstorming, and research to the point where you aren’t really moving forward on a project anymore – it’s called Analysis Paralysis. It usually results in procrastination, and a feeling of frustration that turns into self-prosecution and doubt. This phenomenon is a surefire weapon, guaranteed to sabotage even the best business project. It’s like a mountain you simply can’t find a way to climb over or push through. I can soooo relate to this dilemma!Analysis paralysis often occurs  due to the lack of experience on the part of the decision makers. Sometimes it’s root cause is from information overload as well. It’s a state of fear over possibly making a wrong decision. This condition leaves the person afraid to move forward because they aren’t entirely sure of where they may be going. This is an especially common situation that first time Entrepreneurs find them selves stuck in.

I’ve been there – done that – and got the big ol’ T-shirt, my friend. At one time I was a chronic procrastinator because I held so tightly to my analysis dysfunction. Yes – it was making me dysfunctional and unable to move forward on various projects. I could truly identify with this analysis paralysis disease! Then I read a business magazine article where they stated that many big companies set aside a percentage of time and income specifically for making mistakes. They actually budgeted both time and money for this, because they realize there is value in mistake-making.

Mistakes are not bad. They are good. They are productive. They are valuable. Mistakes are a golden opportunity to learn and move forward or in another direction. If you are a business-blogger like myself, mistakes are also a resource of information for content and salable products! How many online-preneurs have sold books or written articles of the “Top Ten Mistakes, Not to Do” type? I’ve even written a few of those. It’s more fun to learn from someone else’s mistakes than from our own sometimes. But I’ll tell you – the lessons sure stick stronger when I’ve done it myself.

I’ve adopted this practice of setting aside time and money for mistakes and I feel secure in the knowledge that mistakes hold a value for my business. It took me a while to get used to this idea. But I stopped one day and took note of how I happen to like the woman I’ve become not in spite of, but because of some of the mistakes I’ve made in my life. It was a truly radical idea for me, but one I embraced willingly. By freeing myself from the fear making a mistake and instead looking at it as a healthy step toward growth, I find myself making decisions more quickly and not getting stuck in that worrisome state of inactivity.

I know (all too well) that this can be difficult to accept and begin living by, especially when you’ve practiced just the opposite for so many years. To say it and even truly believe it, is one thing. To live it is another! Here’s a couple of ways I tackle those big issues I get stuck on sometimes. I made up a rule for myself to follow called the “5-minutes of Action” rule.

• If I’m feeling indecisive when faced with choosing one of several options – I just pick one! Sounds way too easy doesn’t it? But I mean it. I really do say to myself, “Self, (that’s what I call me when I’m giving me an assignment) you are going to make a decision and do it within the next five minutes.” Then I do just that. Period. I know that it will be a good decision no matter what it is. I’m guaranteed it is! Even if later I change my mind that’s okay. I’ve learned from the experience. Plus the whys and wherefores of the reasons for changing my mind will help me in making the next decision.
• To help myself do anything rather than sitting there doing nothing, I use the “5-minutes of Action” rule again. I’ve even been known to set a timer when I REALLY hate the idea of doing what I know I need to do. Then I do at least 5 minutes of uninterrupted action on that project. The project isn’t my goal here. The 5-minutes of action time is. For example if I really need to get that digi-kit element completed, I dedicate at least 5-minutes to doing just that. If I finish it – terrific! If I don’t – that’s okay too because I did actually meet my goal. I gave 5 minutes to the project and that’s all there is to it. I congratulate “Self” and feel good about my accomplishment. This practice sometimes pushes me into action far more than the five minutes I gave myself. It helps me take action on other tasks too.

One thing I know for sure about me is that I’m not a decision-making mountain climber. I can’t push through or climb over some of those darned things to save my neck. But I can certainly take five minutes and start walking my way around one! If you give this a try I think you’ll soon find out that any level of movement, even just 5 minutes worth, will pull you out of paralysis and back into action to the point where you’ll be moving forward again in no time at all.

This is not about setting your goals too low or lowering standards. It’s natural and makes good business sense to spend time thinking about a project, especially one with risks attached. But you know as well as I do that there can come a point when you are over-thinking a thing and it becomes counter-productive to the end goal. That’s when it’s time to change the goal so you can start making progress again. Not lower the goal – change it. Change it from “getting the project completed” to moving forward on it for the next five minutes. This shift in goals doesn’t change the fact the project needs to eventually get accomplished. The shift simply nudges you back into action and helps you gain some momentum for getting the overall job done. Make your challenging decision in the next five minutes, then be okay with it and move forward. It’s a good decision either way!

You may have heard the phrase “Planning is good. Failure to plan is planning to fail.” It’s true and to that phrase let me add another: “Research and Analysis is good business practice. Too much research and over analyzing is the worst kind of busy-ness you can practice.”

Put that in your book!

Tell Others About What You Read Here!

Close Bookmark and Share This Page

Save to Browser Favorites / Bookmarks

Ask backflip blinklist BlogBookmark Bloglines BlogMarks Blogsvine BuddyMarks BUMPzee! CiteULike co.mments Connotea del.icio.us

Digg diigo DotNetKicks DropJack dzone Facebook Fark Faves Feed Me Links Friendsite folkd.com Furl Google

Hugg Jamespot Jeqq Kaboodle kirtsy linkaGoGo LinksMarker Ma.gnolia Mister Wong Mixx MySpace MyWeb Netvouz

Newsvine oneview OnlyWire PlugIM Propeller Reddit Rojo Segnalo Shoutwire Simpy Slashdot Sphere Sphinn

Spurl Squidoo StumbleUpon Technorati ThisNext Twitter Webride Windows Live Worlds Movies Yahoo!

Email This to a Friend

Copy HTML: 

 If you like this then please subscribe to the RSS Feed.

Powered by Bookmarkify™

More »