Sometimes we have decisions that make us deliberate, research, assess, incubate, wait, re-assess and assess some more. Other times, we make decisions in the blink of an eye – no hesitation, no long thought processes, just raw instinct.

So, when is it right to analyze the s*&% out of something and when is it right to follow that inner gut feeling that makes us just do?

The little stuff

What constitutes “little” these days?

Little decisions are the ones you make every single day.

  • What to wear
  • What to eat for breakfast
  • How many times you need to check your email
  • What work project you should tackle first
  • What to eat for lunch
  • How long you should work for
  • When you need a coffee break
  • Who’s picking the kids up from school
  • What to eat for dinner
  • What time to go to bed

The more you can NOT think about these types of decisions and the LESS time you can spend thinking about them on a daily basis, the better.

Just do.

The big stuff

Here’s where we get into the juicy, significant, sometimes life-altering decisions.

  • What academic courses to take
  • What university to choose
  • Which online program to enroll in
  • Who to marry
  • What friends are worth it (and what ones aren’t)
  • Where to move
  • Whether or not to sell your home in a hot market
  • What line of work to pursue
  • What company to work for
  • Whether or not to start your own business

These types of decisions absolutely deserve deliberation. Talk to whoever you can about them and get different opinions. Research online to find answers and gain insight. Think long and hard. Give these decisions the time they rightfully deserve. Go back and forth, weigh the odds and write a pros and cons list. Figure it out. Analysis is warranted in every way.

Unless…

The undeniable feeling

Sometimes, something special happens. Even when we reach a crossroads and find ourselves in a “big stuff” situation where a decision needs to be made, we DON’T feel the need to deliberate.

How?

Why?

Because we have the feeling.

The raw, gut feeling. The one we can’t ignore and trust to no end. Because it’s right. And we know it.

Small decisions, big decisions or somewhere in between, there are times when analysis will only lead us to paralysis. And so then, it’s time to turn inward. See what our instincts tell us and just GO FOR IT.

The rest will fall into place.