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This is one of my biggest issues in life. I don't know why it's a trait, but it occurs in nearly every decision. From the most mundance choice of what flavor ice cream I want, to the biggest life-changers about who I want to be with in a relationship. It's as if some irrational part of me believes my life depends on the decision. Or a part of me wants to know EVERYTHING, and thus paralyzes me when trying to decide.

Anybody have trouble with this, or recommendations on what I should do?

Hello EricML - you might want to find out more about NLP and in particular your 'convincer strategy' - that is the internal strategy you apply when you have to be convinced of the action to take. You don't sound like a one time convincer - so you may have to think through precisely what you do when you do make a decision. This may include assessing things from different perspectives - how you see, feel and hear things nd the number of times you 'loop' thru this process that enables you to reach a decision. I suggest you go to Michael Hall's website and find outmore about convincer and just remember - there are some real benefits from thinking things through howver long you take - the website is http://www.neurosemantics.com/ - you may also find useful info on convincer on Richard Bandler's site http://www.purenlp.com/

Making choices is almost an art for some people.

The ones I have observed who are the best at it don't make a choice at all, they let things fall into place and it's almost like they are picking a delicious strawberry. Like the strawberry the choice is just sitting there waiting to be picked.

Or circumstances unfold and the choice is obvious and they never have to think very hard about what to do only give the final approval.

I worked with an old fisherman one time and he would like to discuss his thinking, maybe talk about dry docking his boat and sort of go through what he was expecting and how to deal with it. He would always end off with "Well, we don't have to make a decision now." and he never did. When he got into drydock he let the boat tell him what it needed and he just took care of it.

So might think about this method. You don't have to make a decision, let "it" make the obvious choice for you. Alot less stress.

I can see at least some of what you're saying.

Our ability to decide can often impose our will onto reality, and it sometimes leaves us disappointed.

We'll do our best on whatever needs our attending..