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One thing I feel disgusted about is planning. I see people keep planning. They use Miro, new diaries, and whatnot, but they never execute.

I call it planning syndrome because it does not give you anything in return. You feel a dopamine hit from continuously planning, even though nothing actually moves.

So today I will talk about why it is one of the most disgusting habits and why you should stop doing it right now.

If you are thinking that I am against planning, please do not assume that. I am not against planning. I am against excessive planning, chasing dopamine, and never doing the actual task.

This is not about you alone. There are 1000s of people doing the exact same thing.

You start planning because you want to do something. It can be anything. But you do not execute. You keep planning, you keep making notes, and you keep switching between different tools. It also becomes a way of waiting for the perfect time. You start believing that one day something magical will happen, and you will finally feel ready to do everything. Sorry to say this, but that day never comes.

Planning gives your brain comfort and a dopamine boost. Doing the work asks you to accept uncertainty and deal with outcomes you cannot control. Because of that, your mind keeps choosing planning instead of action.

Most people believe clarity comes before action, but the opposite is usually true. You understand what works only after you try something and see how the world responds. Thinking longer rarely solves the problem, while doing something no matter how small it often does.

One way to break this pattern is to pay attention to how long planning lasts. If you have been planning the same thing for weeks, planning has stopped being helpful and has turned into a loop of wasting time. Another clear sign is when you cannot describe the very next action you need to take.

Progress usually begins with an ordinary step that makes you feel uncomfortable. You publish the post or share the idea before it feels finished. That first move creates momentum, and momentum solves problems that planning never will.

If you feel stuck right now, choose one thing you have been planning for too long. Give yourself thirty minutes and work on the smallest visible action you can complete within that time. When the time ends, stop and notice that movement matters more than perfection.

You do not need confidence before you begin. Confidence comes after you start working on it.

Planning has a role, but execution is where ideas work. Endless planning keeps you exactly where you are.

Thank you so much for reading the newsletter. I keep seeing this syndrome, and people don’t really change themselves and then complain why they aren’t progressing in their lives.

This is the first edition of February, more insightful stuff is coming your way.

See you!

— Anirban

The Power Of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale.

The oldest goldfish lived to be 43 years old. (I have an aquarium, and goldfish are the only fish that survived the longest)

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