The Danger of Inaction

Let’s talk about the danger of inaction.

Have you ever found yourself agonizing over a decision, going back and forth endlessly, trying to weigh every single possible outcome?

Maybe it was something big, like whether to take a new job or move to a different city. Or maybe it was something smaller, like what restaurant to go to for dinner.

Either way, you probably drove yourself a little crazy trying to make the "perfect" choice. Well, according to the Stoics, all that hemming and hawing is actually worse than just making a decision, even if the decision you make ends up being the "wrong" one.

As the philosopher Epictetus said, "We are more cursed by what we don't do than by our inabilities." So next time you're stuck in an endless loop of indecision, take a page from the Stoics' book.

Indecision and endless deliberation are really just forms of fear. The fear of making the "wrong" choice can become paralyzing. But in reality, not making any choice at all is often way more damaging than making an imperfect one.

You have way more control over how you respond to situations than you think you do. So instead of wasting energy trying to control things that are ultimately out of your hands (like how other people will react or what the future holds), you're better off just making a reasoned choice and going with it.

Use your powers of reason to carefully consider your options, but then make a choice, commit to it fully, and trust that you'll be able to handle whatever comes your way.

After all, you'll probably suffer a lot less by taking action than by drowning in indecision.