Paralysis By Analysis! (written July, 2012) 

“If you think you can do a thing or if you think you can’t do a thing, you’re right on both counts.” – Henry Ford

I thought a review of a recent conversation might help many of you overcome a most annoying obstacle – paralysis by analysis.

Paralysis by analysis is actually a psychological term – believe it or not. What does it mean? It means that so many of you hold yourself back from accomplishing your dreams, goals, desires, wishes and ambitions because you over analyze what it takes to achieve these goals. Instead of taking a positive outlook and understanding that action is necessary, you give yourself a million excuses why not to do something and consequently never achieve anything because you are paralyzing yourself with analysis. You are creating fear. By creating this fear of failure, you inevitably are creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Let me give you an example: A recent phone conversation I had with one of you – you know who you are. A gentleman who admittedly has been involved in dozens of programs and has failed at each one calls me up and asks me, “Doesn’t the idea of joining a couple of times nullify the geometric progression?” I said, “Yes it certainly hurts it but in the long run half join more than once and the other half join only once, so you will get geometric progression as well as up front income.” He then asks me the same exact question 2 more times different ways and of course, I told him that he could ask me a million different ways, it is still the same answer. The answer doesn’t change if you ask the same question a different way. He then precedes to ask me a bunch of other silly questions and I tried to answer all of them. Then I finally had it, so I said, “I already know what you biggest problem is.” Of course, he said, “What?” I simply said, “Your biggest problem is you! You got me on the telephone for 20 minutes asking me every question under the sun five different ways and then debating my answers with me. You are talking with a guy who is successful in MLM. You aren’t. What’s the debate? Why so many questions? Instead of asking me twenty-five different questions, why don’t you do something? Make a commitment and stick to it? All you are doing is paralyzing yourself with over analysis of the possible dilemmas that might occur. You are holding yourself back with fear. Fear of failure!” Of course, he got all bent out of shape and told me I was a jerk. No problem here. If I tell you the truth, don’t hold it against me. If you ask a question, listen for the answer. Don’t ask someone a question if you do not plan on listening and learning!

This guy’s problem is what so many of you are having problems with. I don’t personally know 90% of what the programs I am involved with are about – probably better than 90%. This is what I do know for sure: I do know that if I work with honest people, work with people that want to make money, work with like-minded individuals, as long as I constantly promote, then I will succeed. I don’t have to analyze everything. I don’t have to know everything either. I do know there will always be obstacles to getting to my goals. I’ll tackle these obstacles along the way. The only thing I worry about is the promotion. Period! That’s where so many of you fail. Instead of spending all you can on promotion, you spend a little bit here and there, always being a little too cautious, and then try and analyze what went wrong. That’s fear of failure. That’s paralysis by analysis. Guys – Girls – it’s about doing – not analyzing! Nothing works perfect, but if you think you can or if you think you can’t, you are right! When so many of you ask me, “Does this program really work?” That question is fear of failure. We all fail. Most of us fail way too many times! Failing is not a bad thing. Fear of failing is a bad thing. Paralyzing yourself because you got burned a few times is bad. We are all adults. We all have been burned before – in every endeavor. Why hold yourself back? Why give up on your dreams? Why don’t you “just do it” instead of allowing yourself to fail over and over and over again!

Today is the first day of the rest of your life. It doesn’t matter if you were successful or if you were a failure before today. Why don’t you re-evaluate your ideas – your commitments – your actions.  Unless you are making the commitment to promote daily, how are you going to succeed? How? Please tell me. I know you are limited – we are all limited – so common sense tells us that you have to stay within a budget, but without a commitment (no matter how big or small) and then sticking to it, how are you ever going to succeed?

Stop over analyzing and start taking action. Learn along the way instead of failing and then pointing the finger and blaming others. Yea you will have some set-backs, but you know what? Overcoming those setbacks are what separates successful people with failures. Do you want to be successful? Stop analyzing and start taking actions!

Now it is up to you. Are you going to start this day off like you have been? Or are you going to take the winning approach – action! Are you going to take action? That is what it takes. You know it. I know it. It is not a secret. The difference between successful people and failures is so little, that it’s ridiculous. You can succeed right now by stop analyzing and start taking action. Believe that you can and you will. For so many of you, if you continue on your current path, you will always be failures – and that is a shame. MLM/Mail Order has been great to me. It has been my honor to give you advice and watch many of you take my advice and run with it! That is exciting for me. But for many of the others, no matter what I say, no matter what I do, you resist the truth. Sometimes the truth hurts and let it hurt! The truth is that you have seen me promoting the same programs over and over again and again. Why? The programs work because I work. I am taking action to make them work for me. You can do the same thing. It is within your power. You have to believe you can do it and then you have to take action. I would love to see you in the winner’s circle one day soon. You deserve it. Please heed my words and start making this day your best day yet!

The author of this article is Larry Costello, President of All-American Print & Mail, 2200 Wilson Blvd #102-57, Arlington, VA 22201.