When you have enough information

Being thorough can help—or hold you back

It makes sense to gather information before making an important decision. But sometimes preparation becomes a way of avoiding uncertainty: you read more reviews, ask more people you know, and still leave the choice open. Yet new information may no longer change your mind.

Try a four-step approach. First, state the decision. Then identify the most important criteria. Next, find out which missing information could genuinely change your choice. Finally, set a time to review your options. Not all additional information is equally valuable.

For example, you’re choosing a language course. The deciding factors might be its focus, schedule, cost and whether you can attend a trial lesson. Twenty more opinions about the colour of the textbook won’t significantly improve your decision. Instead of comparing endlessly, try a sample class.

Distinguish between reversible decisions and those that are hard to reverse. You could try a short course that’s inexpensive and easy to change. A long-term commitment or significant financial risk requires more careful checking. Making a decision quickly at any cost isn’t a virtue.

Write down your assumptions, too: “If the classes are too slow, I’ll switch courses after a month.” That gives you a plan to review the decision instead of the illusion of complete certainty.

Try it out: Choose one decision you’ve been putting off. Write down three key criteria, the one piece of information you’re still missing and a date by which you’ll decide. If the risk is high, spend more time checking; if it’s low, a safe trial might be enough.