Are you familiar with decision paralysis? Or, as some like to call it, “analysis paralysis.” Whatever name it goes by, it can be frustrating, debilitating, or, shall we say, paralyzing? And if you’ve experienced it, you’re not alone.
If you’re wondering how to overcome decision paralysis, or help your clients move through their decision-making challenges, you’re in the right place.
Through the insights of expert coaches, this article will provide helpful tips, thoughtful questions, and simple exercises you can put into practice right away in your coaching sessions and in your own life.
Meet the Contributing Coaches
Thanks to the following coaches for contributing their insights to this article:
- Kristeva Dowling – Kristeva Dowling, MSocSc, is a dedicated keto-nutrition coach with a passion for helping others achieve optimal health through our ancestral way of eating and living.
- Raluca Olariu – Raluca is a transformative coach who specialises in helping people overcome chronic procrastination and take back control of their lives.
- Molly Cantrell-Kraig – Molly Cantrell-Kraig is a strategic communicator and resilience coach who helps people and organizations navigate change with clarity, intention, and impact.
- Katie Pulsifer – Katie is a master certified coach and founder of the Golden Coaching Certification, where she helps coaches build unshakable confidence and lead from their whole, wise, and worthy selves.
- Sonja Sells – Sonja is a Fierce Era Strategist who empowers women in their mid-thirties and beyond to shatter rigid routines, ignite their passions, and build thriving online businesses, stepping boldly into an era of true purpose and unwavering impact.
- Dr Evelyn Higgins, DC, C Ad, DACACD, DABDA – Evelyn is a doctor and mental health coach dedicated to helping individuals uncover the root causes of their physical and behavioral wellness challenges.
- Betty Chatzipli – Betty is the Owner and CEO of Expert on Your Life, LLC, and a Women’s Empowerment Coach, Mentor, and Instructional Designer who helps women build self-determined lives through coaching, thought-provoking content, and practical online courses.
- Julia Seidel ACC – Julia is a Life & Business Coach helping high-achieving women in transition create fulfilling lives and purpose-led businesses – without sacrificing who they are.
- Sharon Crossett – Sharon is a life coach who helps women get unstuck and start living with purpose and passion.
- Emma Vincent – Emma Vincent recalibrates high-functioning women back to their power, wealth, visibility, impact, freedom, and legacy. No mindset hacks. No performance. Just truth.
- Martine Williams – Martine Williams is a Life Alignment Coach, keynote speaker, CEO and founder of Illuminate YOU Coaching, and host of the Life Coaching for Mompreneurs podcast.
How to Overcome Decision Paralysis
We surveyed our community of coaches, and here’s how they responded to the question:
How do you help clients get out of “decision paralysis” or fear of doing the wrong thing?
“I invite them to reframe the situation by seeing decisions as experiments rather than permanent life sentences. I’ll often say, “What if this isn’t about picking the ‘right’ path, but about trying something and learning as you go?” This takes some of the pressure off and opens up space for curiosity. We focus on the idea that any choice is a step forward and that mistakes are just part of the process, not failures.”
— Betty Chatzipli
“Decision paralysis is often not about the decision itself – it’s about the meaning someone has attached to getting it wrong. So I guide my clients through a powerful reframe: “There is no ‘wrong’ decision – only feedback.” We explore what’s really driving the fear – Is it perfectionism? A past failure? Fear of judgment? and meet it with compassion first. Then, I help them zoom out and ask: “What choice would your future self thank you for – even if it doesn’t work out exactly as planned?”
“By shifting focus from “What if I fail?” to “What will I learn?” we reduce the emotional charge and bring them into Aligned Action, not just safe action. Sometimes we’ll even “choose on purpose” a small, lower-stakes decision, just to flex the decision-making muscle again. Confidence comes from doing.”
— Julia Seidel
“I would start by explaining that even the wrong thing can sometimes be the right move eventually. Just the act of starting can be enough to motivate someone to create lasting change.”
— Sharon Crossett
“I don’t help them make the ‘right’ decision – I help them stop making decisions from fear. Decision paralysis usually isn’t about confusion. It’s about trying to protect something – approval, control, perfection, safety. So I ask: “What are you trying to protect – and is it costing you the future you actually want?” Once she sees that, the fog clears. Because when a woman starts choosing from identity instead of fear, the next move becomes obvious.”
— Emma Vincent
“Reframe: ‘There is no perfect choice—only the next best experiment.’ People freeze because they think one wrong move will ruin everything. But [it’s] not a tightrope. It’s a trail—you learn by walking.
“Strategies I use:
- What’s the low-risk next step? Instead of overhauling everything, we choose one action that’s safe to test.
- Set a time-bound experiment. Let’s commit to this for 7 days and reassess—no forever decisions.
- Use curiosity instead of pressure. I ask: “What if this goes well?” or “What would future-you want you to try today?”
- Remind them: clarity comes from action. You don’t get confidence before you act. You get it because you acted.
“The truth? Most people don’t need the ‘right’ decision. They just need permission to try. We want ‘Progress, not Perfection!’”
— Kristeva Dowling
“I ask them some exploration questions, like:
- What would you choose if success was guaranteed either way?
- What choice reflects the life you’re trying to create?
- If this didn’t have to be final, what would you try first?”
— Raluca Olariu
“Do something that has no risk (e.g. doing the dishes, taking a walk, grooming the dog). Before beginning this rote task, set an intention/ask the subconscious to provide the right thing.”
— Molly Cantrell-Kraig
“[I ask]: ‘If you couldn’t get it wrong, what would you try?’ Or, ‘If this decision wasn’t permanent, what would you choose?’ When we remove the pressure of ‘right or wrong,’ we often reconnect to the deeper inner knowing and wisdom that was there all along.”
— Katie Pulsifer
“Decision paralysis often stems from a fear of imperfection – the wrong move, the wrong outcome. My approach is to flip that script. We dive deep into their Truth pillar, not to find the ‘right’ answer, but to unearth their core values and desires. I guide them to ask: ‘If I were living 100% in my ‘Fierce Era,’ what decision would truly align with my untamed essence?’ We acknowledge that ‘wrong’ is often a subjective fear, and the most ‘wrong’ thing is often inaction itself. Then, under the Empower pillar, we focus on making a bold decision, knowing that every choice, even if it leads to a detour, provides invaluable data for their fierce journey. It’s about trusting their innate wisdom and having the courage to choose, not just perfectly, but powerfully.”
— Sonja Sells
“When a client is stuck in decision paralysis, I help them shift out of fear and into alignment. Because it’s rarely about the options themselves—it’s about the pressure they feel to get it perfect and the fear of what might happen if they don’t. The fear of making the wrong decision is usually rooted in self-doubt—so we go deeper to uncover the belief underneath. Most of the time, it’s not about the decision itself… it’s about a fear of disappointing others, failing publicly, or losing control.
“One of the first things I remind them is: ‘Ready isn’t a feeling—it’s a decision.’ Waiting to feel certain is often what keeps them stuck. Clarity doesn’t always come before the choice—it often comes because of it.
“We walk through a few powerful questions together:
- What would you choose if you trusted yourself?
- Which option feels most aligned with who you are and what matters right now?
- Which one brings peace, not just productivity?
“I guide them to stop deciding from pressure and start deciding from peace. Because the goal isn’t to make the perfect decision—it’s to make an aligned one and give yourself permission to grow from there.”
— Martine Williams
“Try this simple mindset shift: Ask yourself, What’s the worst that could happen? Will this still matter 5 minutes from now? 5 years from now? Then consider the bigger picture — what are the consequences of making a decision versus doing nothing at all? Remember, not deciding is still a decision, and it often carries its own cost. Clarity comes from action, not overthinking.”
— Dr Evelyn Higgins
Conclusion
Getting stuck in indecision can feel frustrating, exhausting, and downright defeating. But as the coaches in this article reminded us, it’s often not about finding the perfect answer—it’s about finding a starting point. Once you take that first step, the confusion starts to lift and confidence begins to grow.
We love the way work-life balance coach, Martine Williams, sums it up: “Clarity is often a result of taking action—not a prerequisite for it. You can’t think your way into the perfect path—but you can walk your way into alignment, one brave choice at a time.”
So, what will your brave choice be?
If you need help deciding, check out one of these articles for more tips: “Feeling Stuck? Try This.” or “5 Coaching Tools to Help Clients Who Are Stuck.”
Thanks to our contributing coaches:
- Julia Seidel ACC – Website
- Sharon Crossett – Website
- Emma Vincent – Website
- Kristeva Dowling – Facebook
- Raluca Olariu – Website
- Betty Chatzipli – Website
- Molly Cantrell-Kraig – LinkedIn
- Katie Pulsifer – Website
- Sonja Sells – Website
- Martine Williams – Website
- Dr Evelyn Higgins, DC, C Ad, DACACD, DABDA – Website
Do you want to contribute to an upcoming article? Join the Editor’s Desk.
What are your favorite tips for moving through decision paralysis? Continue the conversation on Instagram.
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