Too often I get stuck in Either/Or thinking. This frequently manifests itself as all or nothing when it comes to decision making. Which leads me to analysis paralysis, where I do not want to fully commit one particular solution, so I don’t commit to any solution.

Obviously not making a decision is a form of making a decision. & just as obviously staying with the status quo is often not a good solution at all & can cause more harm than good. & of course, there are times Either/Or is a helpful decision making framework.

For several years now I have been trying to adopt a Both/And mentality. Peter Sims great book Little Bets: How Breatkthrough ideas Emerge from Small Discoveries was very helpful in this process.

Thinking Both/And has been very helpful personally & professionally. For me thinking Both/And has involved taking small calculated steps toward my objectives. I can try a partnership or a project in a short & simple way & quickly evaluate the results & then adapt.

Trial & error. Start small; fail small.

Both/And thinking has kept me challenging myself & making progress in work & life.