Planning vs action: Paralysed by indecision

KikiLaRue

I've been doing a bit of a clear out at home, and I realised something - I have notebooks upon notebooks half-full of half-baked plans

-travel plans
-diet plans
-business ideas
-creative ideas
-arbitrary goals

And while it's obviously good to have plans, I never seem to get around to putting any of them into action - partly because sometimes they contradict each other

Two examples:

I want to take 2 or 3 months to go travelling, and I also want to adopt a puppy. I obviously can't get a puppy and then go off travelling, so I don't get the puppy - but I also have no immediate plans to go travelling so I end up doing neither.

In reality, I could adopt a puppy, and if the time is right in a year to spend a couple of months travelling, my parents would take good care of it while I was gone.

Or - I want to start my own business but I also want to buy a house at some point. I don't have enough money to buy the house right now, and I don't want to start the business because it's a risk financially and it'll be much harder to get a mortgage.

So I end up... stuck.

I think I need to be more action-oriented, but I'm not sure how to get started without taking too many risks. Any advice?

I definitely want to get out of thinking mode and into doing more?

Anyone else been here?

[Before anyone says it, yes - I know this is a very millennial, first-world problem]

Declutter, and define your goals clearly. Start doing instead of procrastinating.

Deebles McBeebles

Travel before dog is the only advice I'm qualified to give. I can't see why you would do it the other way around.

Feisar

Start small. Do something this weekend. Go to Galway/Dublin/Cliffs of Moher/Giants Causeway/Wild Atlantic Way. You might decide to start yoga this weekend. Do something.

KikiLaRue

Deebles McBeebles wrote: »

Travel before dog is the only advice I'm qualified to give. I can't see why you would do it the other way around.

Because there's a reasonable chance the travel won't ever happen. So if I keep putting getting the pooch off based on the possibility of travel, I may end up doing neither - which is the dilemma that led me to post in the first place.

Feisar

KikiLaRue wrote: »

Because there's a reasonable chance the travel won't ever happen. So if I keep putting getting the pooch off based on the possibility of travel, I may end up doing neither - which is the dilemma that led me to post in the first place.

Get the dog after you travel.

Why won't the travel happen? Not looking for the answer, it may be personal however ask yerself why? List the reasons, i.e:

Finances
Fear of travelling alone
Actual drive/ambition to do so

Write them down and look at how to overcome them.

KikiLaRue

Feisar wrote: »

Get the dog after you travel.

Why won't the travel happen? Not looking for the answer, it may be personal however ask yerself why? List the reasons, i.e:

Finances
Fear of travelling alone
Actual drive/ambition to do so

Write them down and look at how to overcome them.

It's finances as regards why I might not end up going travelling. Fairly likely I'll end up doing 7-10 day trips spread out through the years instead of one big trip!

This also links in with the mortgage/ business/ job stuff.

TBH if there was one I'm in the best position to do right now it's get the dog because:
- I work from home so I have lots of time to spend with it right now, in a few months I might be back in an office
- My place has a lovely garden suitable for a dog
- My landlord is okay with me getting one
- My housemate is totally onboard

So if there was one I was going to do right now, it would be that over the travel. I've been thinking about the dog since I moved into my current place which will be two years in May.

Deebles McBeebles

Couple of red flags. You are renting, trust me when I tell you not all landlords are as ok as your current one. Even if its a toy breed, some people just won't have them in their properties. And the fact you might be back in an office in a few months could be difficult too.

Not trying to put you off, its the best thing anyone can do but just be aware that your circumstances can changes fast and all of a sudden the dog wasn't the greatest idea in the world.

Force Carrier

Get a journal with an A4 page for each day of the year.
For each item on your list(s) break it down into a number of actionable steps. Input these steps into the days and weeks ahead on your schedule in your journal. Profit.

KikiLaRue

Deebles McBeebles wrote: »

Couple of red flags. You are renting, trust me when I tell you not all landlords are as ok as your current one. Even if its a toy breed, some people just won't have them in their properties. And the fact you might be back in an office in a few months could be difficult too.

Not trying to put you off, its the best thing anyone can do but just be aware that your circumstances can changes fast and all of a sudden the dog wasn't the greatest idea in the world.

I get what you're saying, but if I take those two unknowns and let them put me off, I won't be able to get a dog until I retire.

Feisar

KikiLaRue wrote: »

It's finances as regards why I might not end up going travelling. Fairly likely I'll end up doing 7-10 day trips spread out through the years instead of one big trip!

This also links in with the mortgage/ business/ job stuff.

TBH if there was one I'm in the best position to do right now it's get the dog because:
- I work from home so I have lots of time to spend with it right now, in a few months I might be back in an office
- My place has a lovely garden suitable for a dog
- My landlord is okay with me getting one
- My housemate is totally onboard

So if there was one I was going to do right now, it would be that over the travel. I've been thinking about the dog since I moved into my current place which will be two years in May.

Cool, dog it is so if yer not heading off for a year. Just to note that you mention a few things that are temporary:

Working from home
Current accommodation
Housemate

Things might be A1 now however a dog is a circa. 12 year commitment.

You mentioned financial issues regarding travel. mortgage/ business/ job stuff. It's a personal choice to prioritize these things, there's nothing wrong with that.