366: Stop Second Guessing Yourself

Embrace Your Decisions: How to Stop Second Guessing Yourself

Every day, we make hundreds, if not thousands, of decisions, from simple ones like deciding to get out of bed to more complex ones like choosing a training plan for a marathon. If you're anything like me, after you make a decision, your brain often starts questioning it.

I love to gather information before making a decision. But even after making a decision, my brain often wants to second guess it. This can be incredibly exhausting and counterproductive.

And don’t we all do this? We often second guess the decisions that took us a while to make. Ironically, it seems that the more time you spend thinking about a decision, the more likely you are to second guess it later. 

What about those big decisions? or the ones that have multiple options?

When a decision feels heavy, our brains can tend to avoid action altogether, leading to inaction. But here’s the kicker: not deciding is also a decision. It’s important to recognize this and take actionable steps.

Doing nothing might seem safe, but it's still a choice. And more often than not, it’s not the best one.

So what's leading to all of this questioning and inaction? 

It's often fear.

Fear can wear many masks. We can often recognize fear when it masks as indecision, but what about some of it's trickier masks, like logic? 

Yes, fear can mask as logic. Have you ever had a big decision to make and you somehow logic your way out of it? You can convince yourself, with compelling evidence, that the decision you originally made was wrong, or that you need more information before you even make a decision. 

But ultimately, this just keeps us stuck.

We need to make a decision and move forward if we want to progress in any area of our lives.

The Three Steps to Decision-Making

We've boiled down the decision-making process into three steps:

1. Gather Quality Information: It's important to do some research before making a decision. For instance, if you're training for a marathon, gather data on your goals, current fitness level, and lifestyle.
2. Make a Decision: At some point, you have to stop gathering information and make a decision. Avoid the trap of analysis paralysis.
3. Commit and Stick to Your Decision: Once you’ve made a decision, commit to it. Give it enough time to see if it works instead of constantly second guessing yourself.

Step 1: Gather Quality Information

With the plethora of apps and resources available, it's easy to gather information. But remember, not all information is created equal.

Just because someone is a good athlete doesn’t make them a good coach. Just because it's research-based doesn't mean it's based on quality research. Just because your app says it's personalized doesn't mean it actually it. 

Make sure your sources are reputable. Ensure the information fits your needs and lifestyle. It’s crucial to sift through what’s good and what isn’t, but don't let yourself get stuck here.  In today's information age, there are endless amounts of information that you can find, so you need to have enough to make an informed choice but not so much that you end up overwhelmed and frozen.

Step 2: Make a Decision

Gathering information can feel productive, but it’s often just passive action. At some point, you need to make a decision and act on it.

This is where many people get stuck. They continue to gather information because they're scared of making the wrong choice. And while it's tempting to wait for the perfect option, remember that perfect is often the enemy of good enough. At some point, you need to leap and trust that your research and intuition will guide you.

Step 3: Commit and Stick to Your Decision

Once you’ve made a decision, it's important to stick to it long enough to see if it works. Constantly changing plans can derail your progress and lead to inconsistency or plateau. You have to give a plan enough time to work. Remember, training plans are usually 12-16 weeks, not 3-4, because it takes time for your body to build strength, endurance, and speed. 

Remind yourself of why you made the decision in the first place, and commit to seeing it through. Recognize that your brain might try to second guess you, but you need to recommit to your decision and give it time to work.

Remember the three R's to combat second guessing:

1. Recognize when you're second guessing yourself.
2. Remind yourself why you made your initial decision.
3. Recommit to your decision and ride it out.

It's time to stop second guessing yourself so much and start trusting your decisions more. Recommit to your goals and plans, and remember that you can always reach out to us for help. We offer coaching programs and would love to help you achieve your running and life goals.