It’s important to not rush into reckless decisions but there’s a balance between thoughtful consideration and getting stuck in overthinking.
I learned this lesson 30 years ago in a church group in Kingwood, Texas. I was with 20+ other women on a saturday evening making different hand crafted christmas/holiday decorations for our homes or for gifts. Each project was demonstrated by a beautifully crafted example with everything perfect and just so, like out of a Neiman Marcus Store. As I sat down at the craft I chose to replicate it was a very ornate christmas tree made from broken glass pieces formed into a tree, then laid in concrete and framed. The example was perfection, like a beautiful stained glass from the Vatican. But as I began the project, I soon realized chipping and breaking these small glass pieces would be much more difficult that I had expected. I chipped away setting my small pieces in place, albeit it not permanently yet. Only to begin feeling the frustrations in my mine didn’t look anything like the example, it wasn’t nearly as symmetrical and tree like the example. I kept resetting the pieces, breaking more pieces, over and over. Then about an hour into my project, a little older lady who was wondering around checking on everyone, asked me if I needed anything or any help? I immediately said, yes, make mine look like the example! And the next words she spoke to me have stuck in my brain forever, “listen, no one will know what the example looked like when you take yours home, yours will be the best they have ever seen because it will be. No point to keep doing this over and over, it’s already exactly how it’s supposed to be.” And from that moment on if I had a decision to make that was over $5,000, I sat on it for 24 hours but anything less that $5,000 I thought it out and made a decision and acted on it. It has always worked out for me. I still have that Christmas tree decoration today, and every holiday I pull it out and display it very proudly as the lesson she gave me that evening has served me well.
I can relate this same message to my posting on social media for work. I do one or two takes and post. I never spend hours making content, I put out what I feel, how I look and its authentically out there and I get great responses. Now, could i have said one more thing? make it a little less shiny? took out the ummms? probably but then I would be paralyzed and not want to post anything to help my community. I am of the believe that get your thoughts and actions together, practice and then shoot! it is a freeing experience and actually helps people connect with the real you!
There are a few reasons why just making a decision and acting on it, without second-guessing yourself, can be beneficial:
- Reduces paralysis by analysis: Overthinking can lead to inaction. By taking action, even if it’s not the absolute perfect choice, you gain experience and move forward.
- Boosts confidence: Decisive action builds trust in your own judgment. The more you act on your decisions, the more confident you become in your ability to make them.
- Opens doors to new experiences: Sometimes the best opportunities arise from taking a chance. By not overanalyzing, you might be more open to trying new things.
Here are some situations where this approach might be most effective:
- Low-stakes decisions: When the outcome won’t significantly impact your life, going with your gut can be a good way to learn and move on.
- Time-sensitive situations: When you have limited time, a quick decision is better than no decision at all.
- Following your intuition: Sometimes, a gut feeling can be a powerful guide. If you’ve weighed the options and something feels right, trust yourself.
#kelleymoves
