Note: This is Part 3 of a 7 part series. The rest of the series includes:

1. How to Make Lasting Changes
2. From Unconscious to Conscious
3. Contemplation & Procrastination
4. Preparation & Planning to Act
5. 3, 2, 1… Action!
6. Maintaining the Change
7. Summing it All Up

Analysis paralysis is one of the most dangerous points on the path to creating lasting change. This is the place where all possible options seem equally valid and you have a hard time deciding what to do in the present moment. The dangers of getting caught in this loop are at their greatest during the Contemplation stage of change. The contemplation stage of change is the point at which an individual or organization intends to change within a relatively short time horizon, such as within the next six months. In this post you’ll learn why this stage is important and how you can move through it quickly to begin the more active stages of change.

In the precontemplation stage of change, a person either a) doesn’t think their situation is bad, or b) doesn’t think they are capable of changing it. The cost of change and the negatives of change outweigh positive benefits of that change. When a person has used emotion or an outside stimulus to move into the contemplation stage of change, they are able to see the pros and cons of change as more equal.  They may even see change as more positive, but not know how they are going to get there.

For most individuals and organizations, the reaction to the contemplation stage of change is to engage in ambivalent thinking and doing a lot of planning to plan. If you’ve ever worked in an organization that is weighing the pros and cons of a merger, you know exactly what this is like. There are studies after studies, which produce conflicting results and create so much data that it is impossible to decide on a course of action.

Individuals can do the same thing. Let’s say I was thinking about changing my diet to be 100% vegan. I’ve passed through the precontemplation stage by learning about all of the health benefits I might gain by changing my diet, but I’m concerned that the change will limit my social life and require a lot more work to make sure that I’m getting all of the nutrition I need. If I were stuck in the contemplation stage of this change, I might buy 20 books and subscribe to 50 blogs about veganism. I may read a dozen or more conflicting medical studies about the benefits and dangers of the diet. I might research dietary supplements, raw food, superfoods and more.

In short, I could spend months or years doing everything but moving forward in making a change!

Helpful Procrastination

The contemplation stage can be very helpful and educational when used correctly. It can genuinely help you investigate a change, and it can also show you when a change isn’t right for you. There are certain situations where we might feel that we “should” make a change, but we don’t really want to. If you react to the idea of a change by procrastinating and doing endless “research,” this can be a good indication that you don’t desire a change.

The above example is one such situation. I’ve thought about becoming a vegan for many years for a variety of health, ethical and environmental reasons. However, after going through literally years of just the type of procrastination I described, I realized that I don’t really want to be 100% vegan. My endless procrastination was just my heart telling me what my head was too stupid to figure out. Instead of completely changing my diet, I’ve cut back on my lacto-ovo consumption considerably and found high quality, ethical sources of cheese and eggs. I’ve also accepted responsibility for the fact that my current diet means that my ecological footprint is a bit larger than a vegan’s and that I may still be contributing to the suffering of some animals, although that is greatly reduced. It isn’t a perfect solution, but it works for me, for now.

Unhelpful Procrastination

Procrastination becomes unhelpful and even dangerous when it comes not from a lack of desire to change, but a feeling of inability to change. This is the type of thinking that people fall into when a change seems so large and permanent that they just can’t imagine themselves completing it successfully. Many long time smokers and other types of addicts fall victim to this type of thinking. I’m sure we’ve all met someone with serious health condition who just keeps smoking away, and might even joke about how their addiction is going to kill them.

In companies, hearing phrases like “This is the way we’ve always done things,” or “We have a rich tradition of…X” are good indicators of endless procrastination on change. When this type of thinking becomes really ingrained, there is usually a recognition of the need for change, an intention to change, and maybe even the beginning of a plan to change, but no mindset for change. It’s as if a person is standing at the bottom of Mt. Everest, looking up and thinking, “I can’t climb this thing!”

The root of all of this resistance is fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of failure. Fear of success. Fear is an incredible motivator, but it can also be the world’s be demotivator. If your procrastination is stemming from fear or lack of belief in your ability to change, you’ll need some tools to overcome it.

How to Break Through Procrastination

When procrastination stems from a genuine lack of desire to change, the person or organization usually regresses to the precontemplation stage. If a change is absolutely needed, the strategies outlined in that post can help advance the process back to Contemplation. When procrastination comes from a lack of belief in the ability to change, there are many ways of turning Mt. Everest into a molehill.

• Break the change into small pieces. Even if you need to completely restructure a Fortune 500 company, there are ways to break the process down into smaller pieces. Use a technique like mindmapping to start with a large change and break it down into its smallest components. For example, “restructuring” might mean upgrading your Human Resources software, implementing remote work arrangements, or selling off a division. Choose the most critical piece of this project and begin to work on it. The rest of the changes can come later.
• It doesn’t have to be forever. We tend to think that we have to make a permanent change right from the beginning. Even though this series is titled Changes That Stick, I don’t think it’s realistic that every change we make will be permanent. Start by trying to change for a weekend or a month. Or think about ways to change gradually. Can you cut back on junk food a little bit at a time, replacing an unhealthy snack with some fruit or nuts? Can you give up your after lunch cigarette right now and work on the rest later? Choose a small task that can give you a quick victory.
• Work with your support system. If you think a change is going to be especially difficult, be sure to involve as many support people as needed. Ask your friends to help you watch your diet, or be available for late night phone calls. Call in the consultants and coaches when you need them. If you are feeling weak and unable to change, you need the support of anyone you think can help.
• Act before you can think. If you are really prone to analysis paralysis, it may be best to just skip over Contemplation as quickly as possible. The second you think, “I should change my diet,” throw away all your junk food, go to the store, and buy 3 pounds of salad mix. If you see that you need new relationship management software, put an action oriented person on the task and let it go. Defend against your worst instincts by outrunning your own thoughts.

The contemplation stage is a necessary, but perilous step on the path to lasting change. The key to this stage is to stay in it just long enough to create the momentum needed to move on to the next stage, preparation, but not a second longer! In the next part of this series, we’ll explore Preparation and Planning to Act.

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