Have you ever noticed how , the longer you think about a decision , the harder it feels to make ? If you've ever been stuck on the same decision for weeks , whether it's texting someone back , applying for something or finally trying that thing that you keep talking about this episode could change how you make choices . I'm sharing two simple tools that have completely shifted my approach to decisions . One comes from Harut , who talked about this concept that made me realize I was wasting hours of brainpower on choices that could take seconds . The other is from Jay Shetty's work on decision-making , but I'm breaking it down in a way that actually makes sense for your busy , overwhelming life . By the end of this episode , you'll know exactly which decisions deserve your mental energy and which ones are stealing your time . Hi and welcome .
Jessica DavisTo Block Out the Noise a space for teens and young adults who are ready to quiet the noise of anxiety , self-doubt and overthinking and start building a life filled with confidence , courage and purpose . I'm Jessica Davis , a licensed therapist , mindset coach and the creator of the Courage Method . I specialize in helping teens and young adults with anxiety , overthinking and low self-esteem . Also , if your mind gets stuck in loops , overthinking every choice , spiraling through what-ifs , feeling paralyzed by decisions . The Anxiety Survival Toolkit gives you practical strategies to break that cycle and start taking action with confidence . It's free and you can find it linked in the show notes Before we dive in . Remember this podcast is here to support and guide you , but it is not a replacement for talking to someone in real life . If you're struggling with your mental health , please reach out to a therapist , and if you're in crisis , contact emergency services or a local helpline . You don't have to go through it alone . All right , let's cut through the noise and get
started . Harut talked about this concept that completely blew my mind . He said when he thinks of something he wants to do , he just does it . No three-week mental marathon . No overanalyzing every possible outcome . When the thought came to him , even if it was uncomfortable , he just acted .
Jessica DavisAt first I honestly thought this may lead to me not getting things done that I feel like I really need to get done . But then I started realizing how much time I was spending on trying to decide even small things . Like I'd spend 30 minutes deciding on what to eat for lunch , 30 minutes I'd go back and forth . What am I in the mood for ? How much time do I have to eat ? Do I want to drive somewhere nearby ? Is there anything close by that ? I'm interested in eating . Should I do something healthy ? Should I do something not so healthy ? You get the point . Meanwhile , someone else is just eating and moving on with their day .
Jessica DavisSo I started experimenting with this . If I thought about something in the moment , I would just do it . This has become super helpful in my business . Instead of spending hours trying to decide what direction to go in , now I just focus on where my mind and heart are leading me . No analysis , paralysis , no sitting on good ideas for months . Now just action . The results were insane . For just one week , I was getting more done and I was connecting to where my energy should really be going . All along , the interesting part was that my mind and heart weren't leading me astray , which I think most people would assume . Imagine acting on what you're thinking and realizing that actually , the real enemy is taking too long to make a decision . But here's the thing as much as this tool works , it doesn't work for everything , so that's why I wanted to include a second tool
. Not all decisions deserve the same energy . This is something Jeff Bezos taught Amazon , and they use it consistently , and you can do that too in your life .
Jessica DavisThere are two types of decisions type one and type two . Type one decisions are hard to reverse and have big consequences . Think choosing your college , deciding who to marry or purchasing a home . Type two decisions are easy to reverse and have low consequences . Think trying a new class , joining a club , texting someone first or applying for pretty much anything . It could be a job , a scholarship or college . Here's what most of us do wrong . We treat type two decisions like they're type one . We'll spend weeks debating whether to sign up for an art elective , like we're signing a mortgage , or we'll agonize over how we should clean our room , like there's not multiple ways , and still not even clean our room , when really we should just be starting somewhere then doing nothing . Most of our daily decisions are type two decisions and we're wasting brainpower , treating them like they're these major life decisions , as if it's life or death on what we decide .
Jessica DavisHere's the one question that tells you in three seconds how much energy a choice deserves . For type two decisions , use immediate action , send the text , sign up , take care of it in the moment . For type one decisions slow down , think it through , talk to people you trust , give yourself time . We've all been guilty of doing a backwards approach to this Spending hours scrolling through Netflix trying to decide which show to watch which is clearly a type two decision and then feeling too drained to work on college applications , which is still a type two the real type one decisions . Actually choosing which college to attend , that deserves serious thought . But applying to multiple schools , that's just creating more options .
The same thing , if you're trying to think about job or you know , should I stay at the same place or open myself up to something new , just apply . Your brain hates uncertainty , which is why indecision feels like anxiety , but action reduces that anxiety immediately .
Jessica DavisWhen you act fast on type two decisions , you're not being reckless , you're being smart . You will feel more productive , you will have more energy , you will build more confidence because you will see the impact of making choices and showing up for yourself . I see this all the time and maybe you'll recognize the pattern too . You get an idea for something you want to try , but instead of just trying it , you get stuck trying to make it perfect first . What if I mess up ? What if people don't like it ? What if I'm not ready yet ? Does that sound familiar ? You're not researching or planning . You're just stuck stuck in fear and what ifs . But here's the thing Most of these decisions aren't actually risky . The real risk isn't making the wrong choice . The real risk is staying stuck while opportunities pass you by .
Jessica DavisWhen you finally realize that this is a type two decision , low risk , totally reversible , commit to trying , even if you feel scared . People can tell when you're actually moving instead of just thinking about moving . The truth is , trying to find the perfect moment has probably stalled your growth in ways you don't even realize yet . So here's your courageous moment that you can start using today . Before any decision , ask yourself if this goes wrong , can I easily fix it or reverse it ? If yes it's type two , act fast . If no it's type one , take your time , think about it . Stop spending 20 minutes deciding what to wear and use that energy to think about your actual goals . Stop debating whether to text someone back and save that brainpower for planning your next semester . Most importantly , stop waiting to feel ready . Whether it's a type one or type two decision , chances are you'll never feel that readiness , but it does require action .
Jessica DavisHere's what I wish someone had told me when I was stuck in decision paralysis and I have been stuck there way more times than I'd like to admit .
You already know what you need to do . You're just scared to do it . Sometimes , when you're anxious , you feel like your gut reaction is wrong , but really I think we just need to learn . You feel like your gut reaction is wrong , but really I think we just need to learn how to trust that gut reaction , because I think that gut reaction is the one that's actually trying to move us in the right direction . We are just afraid to listen to it .
Jessica DavisIf this is clicking , if you're tired of being stuck in your head while opportunities pass you by , join the 90 Day Courage Challenge . It is exactly where you put this type of lessons into action . It's not about making reckless choices . It's about building the skill to recognize which decisions deserve your energy , which ones are just fear disguised as being careful . We start together . We build your courage list , and I'm there every day when your brain tries to convince you that thinking about it more will help you in some way .
Jessica DavisThe challenge starts soon and if you're listening to this , you already know this is a type two decision . You can try it , see how it feels , adjust from there . The only risk is staying exactly where you are . So check the link in the show notes . Don't let another week pass wondering what if Don't leave yourself with . Where would I be if I had just joined ? Your future self is counting on you . I'm always rooting for you to choose action over analysis , progress over perfection . Now stop listening and start moving . Your life is waiting for you . Thank you so much . Until next time , keep moving forward , trust yourself and never forget you have what it takes to block out the noise .