Analysis Paralysis - Overcoming the Paradox of Choice.

Michael C. Rodriguez from the University of Minnesota did a meta-analysis to discover the effectiveness of options and found the optimal number of choices is …Three.That’s right, just three.There are 979 channels on my television, 1,080 paint color options for my kitchen, and 8,546 restaurants to dine, just in my immediate area. All these choices can throw a person into analysis paralysis. Plus, these are just some of the smaller decisions. What about big life choices like: do I start a new career, what college should I choose, or which bill do I pay down first? Do we close our eyes, point, and pick the first thing our finger touches? Or, curl up into a ball, rock back and forth, and refuse to make a decision?Mr. Miyagi from the Karate Kid said, “Walk on road, hm? Walk left side, safe. Walk right side, safe. Walk middle, sooner or later, get squish just like grape.”Most people may not look to old movies for advice, but sometimes their profound wisdom shocks me. Just as Danielson learned to heed Mr. Miyagi, maybe we should pause and reflect also. If you stay in the middle of the road and never make a decision, then like what Mr. Miyagi said, life will run you over.Take a look at what Yoda told Luke Skywalker during his Jedi training in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, “Do or do not. There is no try.”Life doesn’t have a dress rehearsal. You get one shot. You either go for it, or you don’t. If you’re like me, your palms just grew damp, and beads of sweat are breaking out on your forehead – common signs of anxiety due to a fear of making poor decisions.So how do we break out of analysis paralysis?Remember that God rejoices in the small beginnings. Craig Groeschel covers this in his book Divine Direction:7 Decisions that will Change Your Life. God clearly states in Zechariah 4:10, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.” God wants us to put aside our fears and have the faith to pick up that plumb line, or pen, or computer, whatever applies to your situation. Sometimes it’s the fear of failing that keeps us from beginning, but you fail 100% of the time if you don’t try. Proverbs 24:16 says, “For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again…”  We’re not expected to be perfect. We’re not even expected to have the faith to finish. Unfortunately, it’s our pride that gets in the way. I don’t like the feeling of knowing I messed up, especially if I am aware others were watching, but God it pleased just to see us start and trust in Him for the rest. One step leads to another step, which leads to another.In the epilogue of my manuscript Revealing Truth, I describe this beginning faith through the eyes of a mother watching her son’s first steps.“You can do this. Mommy has you.”  Fear and determination tussled across his plump little face, waking memories of when she too had taken her first steps in faith. At first, she fell repeatedly. But the more steps she took, the easier it became to walk in faith. Yes, she still stumbled every once in a while, but now she knew if she got back up, God would see her through.Benjamin let go of his father’s pant leg and took one timid step toward his mama. His legs wobbled, and he teetered to one side, but before she could catch him, he took another step and steadied himself. “Good job!” She clapped her hands. He looked up into his mother’s great big smile and laughed with glee as if to say, “Look! I’m doing it!” Then, he took three more wobbly steps into her outstretched arms.     If you like what you read, then please sign up for my newsletter to get exclusive excerpts from my manuscripts, sneak previews, and updates on books to come.https://lorridudley.com/mc4wp-form-preview/