On Thinking About What to Do
I have spent countless hours thinking about what to do. Debating my options endlessly. Beating my head against the figurative wall. I haven't been doing that as much lately.
What helped me escape the cycle of endless pondering?
One thing that has helped me is asking another question - "What makes you think you need to do anything?"
Asking this question helps. It makes me have to explain my compulsion to do something.
There is a problem with asking what you should do. It leaves out important information.
The question "What should I do?" implies that you already know what you are trying to accomplish.
That is what 'should' means. It is an operational word. Saying you should do something is the same as saying that you must do something in order to reach some goal.
This means that when you say you 'should' do something, you need to have an answer to the question "Why?".
The 'why' is your reason for doing something, and finding it is necessary for knowing 'what' to do.
So ask:
"What makes me think I need to do anything?" or "Why should I do anything?"
The answers could help you escape the mental treadmill.