In a recent LinkedIn post, Alvin Huang delves into the common struggle of decision-making, particularly for founders, and offers practical frameworks to overcome indecision. Huang emphasizes that the difficulty in making choices is a shared experience, often compounded by the significant consequences tied to entrepreneurial ventures.
Huang challenges the often-cited, simplistic advice of “just trusting your gut,” noting the inherent risk involved when leaders are personally accountable for the fallout of their decisions. He posits that decision-making transcends pure logic, acknowledging the substantial emotional toll that accompanies every choice.
“And when you’re building something from scratch, Every decision feels like it could make or break the business.”
Huang asserts that feeling overwhelmed by decisions doesn’t signify poor leadership but rather points to underlying blocks hindering clarity. He identifies several common patterns that contribute to this paralysis:
Common Decision-Making Pitfalls and Their Solutions
Overthinking and Fear of Mistakes
Huang addresses the tendency to delay decisions due to an intense fear of making the wrong choice. To counter this, he suggests a pragmatic approach: “Make the call when you have 70% of the data.” This framework encourages action based on sufficient, rather than perfect, information.
The Paradox of Too Many Options
The sheer volume of choices can lead to a lack of satisfaction with any single option. Huang recommends applying the 80/20 rule, urging leaders to concentrate on the critical few choices that drive actual progress. As Huang points out, “Endless choices = zero satisfaction with any of them.”
Emotional Bias and Stress
Under stress, Huang explains, leaders may gravitate towards safer, less effective choices. To mitigate this, he advocates for the 10-10-10 Method, prompting reflection on how a decision will feel in 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years.
Information Overload Leading to Confusion
Counterintuitively, accumulating more information can decrease clarity. Huang advises using the Eisenhower Matrix to differentiate between important and urgent tasks, thereby cutting through the noise.
Lack of Confidence in Judgment
When leaders doubt their own judgment, they tend to delay or excessively seek external input. Huang proposes the OODA Loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) as a method to build confidence through a structured process of observation, orientation, decision, and action.
Fear of Long-Term Consequences
A belief that all decisions are irreversible can lead to excessive deliberation. Huang introduces the Reversible vs. Irreversible Test to help leaders assess the true permanence of their choices.
The Path Forward: Action and Iteration
Huang concludes by stressing that while breaking these patterns is challenging, the cost of indecision in terms of lost momentum is far greater than making a less-than-perfect decision. According to Huang, the most effective way to hone decision-making skills is through a continuous cycle:
“Make the decision. Learn from it. Adjust. Repeat.”
He encourages readers to select one framework and apply it consistently for a week, predicting a significant improvement in clarity. Huang frames this iterative process as the quickest route to developing superior judgment, emphasizing that stopping the wait for perfect certainty is key.
The post concludes by posing a question to the audience: “Does decision-making drain you or energize you?” and encourages sharing.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Alvin Huang on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on January 6, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →