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Full Transcript of Overthinking Decisions? Hats, Haircuts, Tattoos Explained
[00:00] Overthinking Happens When You Treat Hats Like Tattoos
Let me ask you something. For the last decision that you spent time overthinking, was it a permanent decision, or did your mind just treat it that way? Because most of the time, when we feel stuck, stressed, or overwhelmed, it’s usually not because the decision is actually heavy. It’s because we’re giving it a ton of weight that it doesn’t deserve.
Right now, there’s a simple question you can ask yourself to instantly reduce your overthinking. Is it a hat or a tattoo? A hat is something you can put on and take off, while a tattoo is something that stays with you. And the problem is, most of us treat hats like tattoos. We overthink what to say, when to start, where to eat, and what to order. We treat seemingly simple decisions as if they are life altering.
Right now, there’s a simple question you can ask yourself to instantly reduce your overthinking. Is it a hat or a tattoo? A hat is something you can put on and take off, while a tattoo is something that stays with you. And the problem is, most of us treat hats like tattoos. We overthink what to say, when to start, where to eat, and what to order. We treat seemingly simple decisions as if they are life altering.
[00:53] My Experience Overthinking at Restaurants
And I’ve personally done this more times than I can count. Whenever I’d be at a restaurant, I’d spend 10 minutes staring at the menu, analyzing every dish as if my life depended on it. I would feel the pressure building up, all for a decision that would barely matter once it was made.
That’s when I realized that I wasn’t actually bad at making decisions. I was just bad at understanding their weight. So I’m going to show you a simple decision-making framework from James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits. He basically breaks decisions into three categories. Hats. Haircuts. And tattoos.
And by the end of this video, you’ll learn how to quickly spot the difference, label your decisions correctly, and be left wondering why you’ve wasted so much time overthinking insignificant decisions in your life.
And by the end of this video, you’ll learn how to quickly spot the difference, label your decisions correctly, and be left wondering why you’ve wasted so much time overthinking insignificant decisions in your life.
[01:50] The Real Reason You Overthink Decisions
Because here’s the thing. Most people think they overthink because they’re being careful, responsible, or thorough. But overthinking is usually based in fear. Fear of choosing the wrong thing, making a mistake they’ll regret, or fear of closing the door to an option that may never open again. This is what causes people to stay frozen in analysis paralysis instead of moving forward. And what you have to realize is the real cost of overthinking isn’t always making a bad decision. It’s spending so much time thinking while not actually changing anything. This is why this framework works for me, and will likely work for you, because it forces you to match your thinking to the size of the decision.
[02:39] The Weight of Hat Decisions
So let’s start off with the smallest category. The hat. A hat decision is low impact and easy to undo. You can put it on and take it off immediately, where your life barely changes either way. A hat decision can be identified by paying attention to these three attributes:
It has a low decision weight, meaning it won’t affect your life in the medium or long term. It requires minimal time to make the decision, often seconds or minutes. And it is fully reversible or repeatable because this type of decision happens very regularly.
[03:20] Examples of Hat Decisions
Some examples of hat decisions include things like:
These decisions feel big when you’re overthinking, but in reality, they are light and relatively inconsequential. The rule of thumb with hats is simple. Speed matters more than perfection. Even though you want to get a hat decision right, the goal is to keep moving because action will free up your mental bandwidth for more important things, instead of spending your time endlessly thinking.
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[04:09] Why Hat Decisions Cause So Much Stress
Here’s the irony. Hat decisions are the ones we often spend the most time overthinking. And that’s because they occur the most frequently. To put this into context. Let’s say you spend 10 minutes a day staring at a menu before ordering your food. That’s over an hour each week, which sums up to roughly 2 entire days in a year. So if you’re treating multiple different types of hat decisions like tattoos, you can imagine how quickly this wasted time adds up.
[04:43] How to Spot Haircut Decisions
Now let’s talk about haircuts. A haircut decision has more impact. It takes time to grow out. But it’s still not permanent. You can adapt, adjust, and still recover from these decisions. And a haircut decision has the following characteristics:
It has a medium decision weight, meaning it has a noticeable but manageable impact on your life. It requires a moderate time investment, usually minutes to hours. And it is reversible, but only with time and adjustment.
[05:16] Examples of Haircut Decisions
Examples of haircut decisions include:
These decisions deserve intentional thought and consideration, but not obsession. The mistake many people make when it comes to haircut decisions is waiting for certainty. But the thing is certainty rarely comes before you take action. It comes after you’ve made the decision, where you can iterate, and course correct over time.
[06:00] My Personal Reflection with Haircuts
Some of the most meaningful changes in my life started as haircut decisions that felt scary or uncomfortable. Like deciding to solo travel around the world for a year while being a mindset coach. These decisions can feel risky or uncertain in the moment. But none of them are permanent, and they usually become clearer once you start. The last thing I'll say about haircut decisions is they teach you that progress isn’t made from perfect planning, but by getting feedback and iterating along the way. You first decide, then observe, and then adjust, where you’re essentially building the bridge as you go.
[06:43] Don’t Overthink It (Ebook)
By the way, if you’re ready to stop overthinking and reclaim your mental clarity, I’ve put together a free ebook called “Don’t Overthink It.” It’s a simple guide that helps you understand the root cause of overthinking and gives you actionable strategies to build confidence in your decision-making. So grab a copy using the link in the description below.
Get 7 strategies to overcome overthinking and regain your mental clarity!
Learn what overthinking is, where it comes from, and actionable methods that will move you from overthinking to problem solving.
[07:06] Why Tattoo Decisions Can Change Your Life
Now the final decision type is tattoos. Tattoos are the decisions that have the power to really change your life, whether good or bad. They are high impact, with long term consequences, and are very very hard to undo (if not impossible). A tattoo decision has a very different profile.
A tattoo decision has a high decision weight, meaning it can significantly shape the direction of your life. It requires significant thinking time, often days, weeks, or months of reflection and lived experience. And it is mostly irreversible.
[07:47] Examples of Tattoo Decisions
Examples of tattoo decisions include:
These decisions deserve patience, reflection, and really careful consideration. But here’s the key insight. Very few decisions in life are tattoos.
[08:16] Why We Fall Into the Overthinking Trap
So if you’re spending a big chunk of your life struggling with overthinking, it’s likely because you’re treating every decision like it’s going to be a permanent one. Basically treating hats like tattoos, or haircuts like tattoos. And when every decision is perceived as heavy, it becomes exhausting. And this is why I want you to remember that most decisions are flexible, which enables you to course correct. While most mistakes are survivable. When you can fully digest this truth, then you relieve a lot of the pressure that you’ve been placing on yourself that stems from fear that leads to overthinking.
[09:01] Your Mental Shortcut for Faster Decision-Making
So this is how you make this concept actionable. Every time you’re presented with a decision, just ask yourself this question: Is the decision a hat, a haircut, or a tattoo? If it’s a hat, then decide quickly and move on. If it’s a haircut, then think briefly, then commit and adjust accordingly. And if it’s a tattoo, then slow down and be intentional. Always remember to label first, then decide second. Because over time, this one habit will save you hours of mental energy.
So thanks so much for watching and also deciding to invest in yourself.
My name is Dexter, and I hope you have a wonderful day.
Bye Bye
My name is Dexter, and I hope you have a wonderful day.
Bye Bye
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