The ‘paralysis Of Analysis’; When Overthinking Becomes A Problem
Our daily life is completely crossed by a multitude of decisions Some of them are also quite important: deciding what car to buy, choosing what course to enroll in, whether or not to confess something to someone, etc. Being in a situation of having to make a relevant decision can be a source of anxiety, and we are not always able to manage these types of emotions.
Many times, instead of taking action and exposing ourselves to the negative consequences of the mistake, we remain anchored at the point of imagining possible scenarios that will occur when we behave in one way or another. This psychological state very well portrays a concept that has emerged within decision theory: analysis paralysis
Defined too loosely, analysis paralysis It is an error in decision making that occurs when a person or a computer becomes immobilized in the phase of prior analysis of the problem and a concrete action plan is never implemented.
Taking it further into the field of psychology, analysis paralysis can be defined as the situation in which someone is immersed in imagining possible options but never uses any of them and no plan materializes.
Let’s get down to business
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 thinking a lot about 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 to you has seemed so overwhelming that you have not even written more. than a few schematic first pages. This scenario is an example of analysis paralysis, because prior analysis, far from becoming a means to achieve an end, becomes a difficult obstacle to overcome and, no matter how much it helps you get involved in a plan or project, it never develops.
Of course, analysis paralysis doesn’t have to be limited to cases where you want to produce something material. It can also appear in your relationship with other people. Here’s a fictitious example that probably sounds familiar to you:
How will he take it if I tell him like that? No, I’d better say it this other way… or no, better this way. Although this would have the problem that… This constant reflection on what to do and the consequences of our actions can mean that we do not know how to decide on any of the options, leading us towards a dynamic of inaction
Opportunity cost and real world problems
Of course, analysis paralysis would not be a problem if analyzing possible situations and anticipating problems that might arise did not consume time and effort. However, in the real world, overthinking things can cause them to never happen.
Opportunity cost is what makes analysis paralysis a problem, and that is why We should take the analysis phase of the possible decisions taking into account 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 there is and what can happen is useful because it serves to act accordingly, not because the simple fact of dwelling on what comes to mind during this phase is going to provide us with some type of material benefit.
It must also be taken into account that there are cases in which analysis paralysis is only apparently paralysis. Someone who has a good time imagining possible novels may not have the real intention of writing anything: they simply practice. mental gymnastics . Likewise, imagining things or even systematically making plans can be stimulating in and of itself, as long as these thoughts have nothing to do with a real situation that requires a response. Learning to distinguish between both types of situations may take some practice, but investing time in noticing these things can translate into real benefits.
