Navigating Decisions: Natalie Tran Shares Dr. Simone Boer’s Framework for Overcoming Overthinking

In a recent LinkedIn post, Natalie Tran shared valuable insights derived from a session at the Geelong Small Business Festival, focusing on the crucial distinction between effective thinking and detrimental overthinking. The post highlights a practical framework developed by Dr. Simone Boer, designed to help individuals navigate complex decisions with greater clarity and efficiency.

Tran introduces the core problem many face: the tendency to get stuck in decision-making loops. She emphasizes that Dr. Boer’s session provided actionable questions to map out a decision, moving beyond mere contemplation to strategic action. As Tran notes from the session:

“Thinking means gathering information, weighing options, considering impact. Overthinking means cycling through the same information and worry loop. Useful thinking moves you forward and overthinking just exhausts you and delays action.”

Deconstructing Decisions for Clarity

Tran elaborates on Dr. Boer’s approach, which involves several key questions designed to bring specificity and focus to decision-making. The first step, according to the framework shared by Tran, is to precisely define the decision at hand. Instead of a vague question like “Should I change careers?”, the recommended reframing is more concrete: “Should I leave this role by December and start my new start up?” Tran highlights that this specificity is the genesis of clarity.

Following this, Dr. Boer’s framework, as presented by Tran, prompts individuals to identify the core elements that truly matter. “What actually matters?” Tran quotes from the session, explaining that identifying the three most impactful factors for any given decision is crucial. This step helps prioritize what deserves attention and what can be considered secondary.

Assessing Reversibility and Impact

Another critical aspect of Dr. Boer’s framework, as detailed in Tran’s post, is the assessment of a decision’s reversibility. Tran quotes the guiding question: “How reversible is it? Some decisions are hard to reverse but some are easy to change. Not all decisions deserve the same amount of thinking!” This insight encourages a more proportionate allocation of mental energy, recognizing that not every choice carries the same weight or permanence.

This emphasis on proportionality is key to avoiding the exhaustion that often accompanies overthinking. By understanding the nature and potential consequences of a decision, individuals can tailor their thought process accordingly. As Tran conveys Dr. Boer’s message, the goal is to ensure that thinking is productive and moves one towards action, rather than getting trapped in a cycle of worry.

Distinguishing Fact from Story

Perhaps one of the most powerful distinctions shared by Dr. Boer, and highlighted by Tran, is the difference between stating a fact and telling oneself a story. Tran provides an example: “I don’t have enough experience” might be a factual statement. However, the story that often gets attached, “I don’t have enough experience so I’ll never get hired,” is what truly hinders progress.

“The story is usually what keeps you stuck, not the fact.”

This narrative layer, according to the framework, is the primary driver of inaction and self-doubt. By learning to identify and separate objective facts from the subjective stories we tell ourselves, individuals can dismantle the psychological barriers that lead to overthinking. Tran concludes by thanking Dr. Simone Boer and the Geelong Small Business Festival for the insightful and interactive session, underscoring the practical value of such frameworks for the small business community.