Recognize that analysis is a critical part of decision-making. Without analysis, we risk acting on everything, or saying no to everything.

Understand that analysis is simply a part of the decision-making process. We must take the mindset that we only need to get to about 70-80% of a full understanding. This is where some can go off the rails – we may feel we need to get to at least 95% of knowing the facts and understanding the elements. But the time we must invest to get from 75% to 95% is extreme. Within that window, we can miss out on the opportunity altogether, as you’ve seen.

Work to get an idea of what it feels like to get to about 75% of an understanding. Then move on to the next step of the process: making a judgment call. The best way to make that call is by viewing it alongside your goals: What am I working to create and achieve? Also, look at the decision while considering your values: What do I hold as being important?

The final step is to take action. Once we make a decision, we must determine what we’re doing to do, and then execute that action. All four steps are key parts of the decision-making process. Understanding this process can help us keep from getting “stuck” in the analysis phase.