Each year, more and more people begin a fitness program for the first time. With high blood pressure, the chance of stroke or heart attack, and diabetes on the prowl, many individuals look to find the best information possible in order to slash their results time and get into better shape faster.
But, someone forgot to let these people know that they need to be doing something while they are info searching.
For some, the fear of doing the wrong thing at the beginning keeps them from ever getting started. With the glutton of information out there, it’s no wonder these unfortunate individuals end up not getting anywhere.”
Analysis Paralysis
“Analysis Paralysis occurs when people continually stay in information gathering mode without taking any action. They figure that “once I have the right information” they’ll get started.
The study of the body is an ongoing phenomenon and the appearance of “wannabe gurus” giving out unsubstantiated advice runs rampant online. Therefore, our worthy beginner never finds the correct information on the fitness program they are looking for (because much of it is conflicting).
Some may consider this a form of procrastination. I would have to disagree. It is more a lack of decisiveness.
Lee Iacocca, the former CEO for Chrysler and business mastermind, once said:
“I have always found that if I move with seventy-five percent or more of the facts that I usually never regret it. It’s the guys who wait to have everything perfect that drive you crazy”.
In other words, gather information, but make sure to act when you have a sufficient amount. You’ll never know if the information is going to completely work for your particular situation. Wouldn’t make more sense to get 75% of the information, try, and then find out that it wasn’t the correct info rather than spend even more time trying to gather up to 90% before finding out that you wasted your time.
With health and fitness, each person reacts to things a little differently. With that being said, once you have a general idea of what you are doing, go do it. You’ll have a few mini failures in the process but your learning will increase and so will your results.
The simple fact remains that experience can help you decipher the good info from the bad. As you become more “in tune” to working out and getting in shape, much of the data you read online and offline will begin to make even more sense.
Finally, make sure to keep your ego in check. Working out and getting in shape is a learning process. As we’ve discussed, every person reacts a little different to the same stimulus. It’s going to take a little testing and tweaking to find out exactly what your body responds best to.
But you’ll never get to that point if you don’t go ahead and get started with your fitness program.
Just don’t let “analysis paralysis” hold you down.