Does this sound familiar?
“I’ll be ready to ship that latest piece of work just as soon as I do a little more research. “
One more podcast.
One more article.
One more social post.
I have struggled with this and here is what I’m trying to do to overcome it.
I hope it is helpful for you.
Change Your Mindset
If you’re not familiar with the Nirvana fallacy, here’s a quick summary.
Basically, because something is not the perfect solution, it’s not worth doing. It can prevent you from getting started or finishing a project.
In order to change your mindset, here are a couple ways to think about things to help overcome the fallacy.
- Break down your goals into smaller chunks that allow you to aim for a better result, rather than a perfect result.
- Set deadlines for those smaller chunks and celebrate the smaller intermediate wins.
Experiment with Cutting External Input
Don’t just reach out to an external source of information for any query that pops into your head. Try to figure out an answer (even if it’s imperfect) on your own.
Sometimes the problem behind information addiction is a deeper issue with impostor syndrome.
The solution for impostor syndrome is trying (and maybe failing) on your own and learning from the experience.
One way to cut out the external noise is to use a plugin that blocks specific social feeds or websites. The one I use is called UnDistracted and it blocks your feeds on social platforms. Another tool I’ve seen recommended is called Freedom.
Checkout Indistracable by Nir Eyal to see his framework for addressing it.
Challenge What You Truly Know
A lot of the information you consume isn’t implemented. It goes in one ear and out the other.
Work on building a framework that helps you better consume more intelligently.
Reflect on what you’re truly trying to work towards with your life.
Develop a stronger note-taking process so less consumption goes to waste.
Trial and Error is Best
Fear of making mistakes or being judged can make it hard to take risks with shipping your work, but it’s the best route.
Your best bet is putting something out there, getting feedback, and improving again next time.