Analysis paralysis’ - when overthinking becomes a problem

Some people fail to act because of overthinking.

Our day-to-day lives are completely crisscrossed by a multitude of decisions. decisions. Some of them, moreover, are quite important: deciding which car to buy, choosing which course to enroll in, whether or not to confess something to someone, and so on. Being in the situation of having to make a relevant decision can be a source of anxiety, and we are not always able to manage this type of emotions.

Many times, instead of taking action and exposing ourselves to the negative consequences of the mistake, we remain anchored in the situation, we get stuck at the point of imagining the possible scenarios that will occur when behaving that will occur when we behave in one way or another. This psychological state is a good illustration of a concept that has emerged in the field of decision theory: the paralysis of analysis.

What is the analysis paralysis?

Defined very broadly, analysis paralysis is a decision-making error that occurs when a person or a computer is stuck in the pre-analysis phase of the problem and a concrete action plan is never implemented. and a concrete plan of action is never implemented.

Taking it further into the realm of psychology, analysis paralysis can be defined as the situation in which someone is immersed in imagining possible options but never actually uses any of them and no plan materializes.

Let's get down to brass tacks

Have you ever thought about writing a novel, movie or series? Have you ever 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 quite possible that the sheer number of possibilities open to you has seemed so overwhelming that you have not even written more than a few sketchy first pages. This scenario is an example of the paralysis of analysis, because the previous analysis, far from becoming a means to an end, becomes a stumbling block that is difficult to overcome and, no matter how much it helps to get you involved in a plan or project, it never develops.

Of course, analysis paralysis need not be confined to cases where you want to produce something material. It can also appear in your relationship with other people. Here is a fictitious example that will probably ring a bell:

How will she take it if I tell her like this? No, I'd better tell him this other way... or not, better this way. Although this would have the problem that.... This constant reflection on what to do and the consequences of our actions may result in us not knowing how to decide on any of the options, leading us into a dynamic of inaction.

Opportunity cost and real-world problems

Of course, analysis paralysis would not be a problem if analyzing possible scenarios and anticipating problems that might arise did not consume time and effort. However, in the real world, stopping to overthink things can result in things never happening.

The opportunity cost is what makes analysis paralysis a problem, and it is for this reason that we should approach the analysis phase of possible decisions in terms of 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 there and what can happen is useful because it serves to act accordingly, not because the simple fact of recreating ourselves in what goes through our heads during this phase will provide us with some kind of material benefit.

We must also bear in mind that there are cases in which the paralysis of analysis is only in appearance. Someone who enjoys imagining possible novels may have no real intention of writing anything: he or she simply practices mental gymnastics. Similarly, imagining things or even systematically drawing up plans can be stimulating in itself, provided that these thoughts have nothing to do with a real situation that requires a response. Learning to distinguish between the two types of situations may take some practice, but investing time in paying attention to these things can translate into real benefits.