Indecisiveness in Adults: Causes, Symptoms, and Coping Strategies
October 27, 2025
Many of us struggle with indecisiveness. In fact, according to the American Psychological Association, 20% of adults report frequent indecisiveness that affects their daily lives.1 Indecisiveness spans from second-guessing simple choices like what to eat or wear, to struggling with major life decisions such as career moves or relationships.
Indecisiveness can stem from multiple factors, such as anxiety, fear of failure, perfectionism, low self-confidence, or an underlying mental health issue.
Over time, being unable to make a decision can drain your mental energy. However, it’s reassuring to know that it isn’t a fixed trait. It’s a treatable behavior pattern that can be changed with awareness, practice, and the right support.
On this page, you will learn what indecisiveness means, why adults often struggle with it, and science-backed strategies to help you overcome it.
What Does It Mean to Be Indecisive?
Being indecisive means having a persistent difficulty choosing between options often enough that it affects daily life. For most of us, indecisiveness is a temporary response to a stressful situation. But some people struggle with long-standing indecisive patterns that keep repeating across jobs, relationships, and small daily decisions.
Decision-making relies on brain networks that include:
Parts of the prefrontal cortex (the brain’s planning and weighing-up center)- The amygdala (which signals threat)
- Reward circuits in the brain that estimate value
Neurological and behavioral changes that affect these areas of the brain lead to a state of indecisiveness.2 Also, people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), generalized anxiety, and depression tend to report more long-term indecision.
Why Do Some Adults Struggle With Indecisiveness?
There are many different factors that can lead to indecisiveness. Here are the most common reasons:
1. Fear of Making the Wrong Choice
The fear of making the wrong choice is driven by intolerance of uncertainty (IU). IU means being very uncomfortable when you don’t know what will happen next.3 If you have high IU, you tend to treat unclear futures as threatening, even when the odds of something bad happening are small. This is typically driven by a desire to guarantee that you made a “safe” choice.
However, almost every decision involves some uncertainty. That’s why research shows that people with high IU are more likely to avoid and delay decisions. They are also likely to depend on others rather than choosing for themselves.4
The fear of being wrong also comes from anticipatory anxiety (worrying about what might happen if you make the wrong decision). This can drain your mental energy and reduce your ability to take risks.
2. Perfectionism and Overthinking
Perfectionism is a set of beliefs and behaviors tied to “doing everything right and not making any mistakes.” It is closely related to overthinking, where no matter how well you do, you always loop back to other options to confirm that you’re not missing anything.
Research shows that people who have high perfectionist traits also show high indecisiveness. Studies dating back to 1993 found that indecisiveness correlates strongly with maladaptive perfectionism (which is concern over mistakes) and with other decision-delay behaviors in normal adults.5
When a person believes in only one “perfect” choice, they keep comparing options and asking others for reassurance. But the truth is, perfect certainty almost never exists. So, the pursuit of always trying to find the absolute best option makes you more likely to delay decisions.
3. Lack of Confidence
When a person has low confidence, they often feel like the choice should come from someone more “qualified.” That extra hesitation leads to decisions being dragged on. A study found that people who scored high on “indecisiveness” also reported lower decisional confidence. They simply weren’t sure if they could commit to a decision.6
Confidence in decision-making is based on:
Self-esteem (how much you value and believe in yourself)- Self-efficacy (how much you believe you can handle things)
This cycle of low confidence leading to doubt and ultimately a delay in decision-making reinforces itself. The longer you delay a decision, the less confident you become.
4. Too Many Options and Too Much Pressure
Having lots of choices may feel like freedom, but it often brings extra stress. There is a lot of real-life evidence for this. A study found that shoppers presented with 24 varieties of jam were 10 times less likely to buy than those shown just six varieties.8 It shows how too many options can reduce our ability to decide what we want.
In psychology, this concept is known as choice overload. It’s the idea that when we face too many options, our brains can process only so much before they start to freeze up. It can even lead to physical signs of tension, such as a high heart rate.
5. Underlying Mental Health Condition
There are some mental health conditions that can reduce your internal confidence in decision-making.
In depression, for example, people often feel empty and unmotivated. They may believe nothing they do matters, so the choice between options and making a decision feels pointless to them. A study with over 600 adults found indecisiveness was strongly connected with depressive symptoms.9
People with OCD also struggle with constant doubt, fear of making the wrong decision, seeking extra reassurance, and re-checking if they made the right choice. Compulsive indecisiveness is a commonly reported symptom in both OCD and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder.5
Common Symptoms of Indecisiveness
Below are some common symptoms that can help you determine if you struggle with indecisiveness:
- Taking a very long time to make simple decisions.
- Frequently asking others for reassurance before deciding.
- Avoiding choices altogether or putting them off until someone else decides.
- Constantly changing your mind after making a decision.
- Doubting your own judgment and replaying decisions in your head.
- Difficulty focusing on one choice because your mind keeps jumping between options.
- Feeling anxious and restless whenever you have to make a decision.
- Regret soon after deciding.
- Feeling frustrated at yourself for not being able to “just decide.”
- A sense of relief when someone else takes control for you.
The Effect of Indecisiveness on Relationships and Work
When decisions are made in good time, life tends to move at a reasonable pace. In contrast, consistent indecisiveness has strong negative effects on your own life as well as the lives of those around you.
For example, research shows that couples who make decisions together and communicate clearly about them report higher satisfaction and a stronger sense of teamwork.10 But if one person avoids choices, it is bound to create conflict. Initial harmless delays in decision-making can turn into arguments about responsibility. Repeated indecision can also be interpreted as a lack of commitment and care by a partner.
When you hesitate too long on tasks, you are also more likely to miss deadlines. There is evidence for the fact that delayed decision-making leads to a drop in productivity and job satisfaction scores.11
Indecision also makes your work feel heavier than it is. The more you analyze and reconsider, the more mental energy it drains.
Ways to Cope With Indecisiveness
Here’s what science says about how you can overcome indecisiveness:
1. Start Small
Making tiny, low-risk choices on purpose is one of the fastest, most research-backed ways to beat indecisiveness. You practice deciding on small things until your decisions become easier. Do this often, and the muscles you use for choosing get stronger.
You can start with things that matter little if you change your mind later. For example:
Decide which breakfast you will have for the next three days.- Choose your outfits for the week.
- Pick one short article to read and commit to finishing it.
Beginning with tiny, clear steps leads to what’s known as the power of small wins.12 Regular, visible progress improves your motivation. It also helps you keep moving forward.
You can also try using specific mini-plans so there is less thinking in the moment. Psychologists call these implementation intentions.13
An implementation intention is an if-then plan that links a clear cue to a simple action. For example, if a meeting ends late, then I will choose the shorter route home. These short plans reliably turn good intentions into actual choices.
2. Stop Chasing the “Perfect” Choice
Breaking the cycle of perfectionism and overthinking will require a mindset shift. Remind yourself that no decision guarantees a perfect outcome. Also, be kind to yourself if a decision doesn’t turn out as expected.
You can also set decision limits. For example, give yourself a set number of options to consider or a specific amount of time to decide. This method is used in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and it trains your brain to tolerate imperfection.
The more often you make timely, “good enough” choices, the easier it becomes to trust yourself. A few simple habits that can help you stop chasing the perfect choice are:
- Limiting yourself to three options before making a final decision.
- Giving yourself a set time of 10-15 minutes for smaller choices.
- Reframing mistakes. Instead of thinking that you failed, you think about what you learnt in the process.
- Tracking your decisions and noting when “good enough” worked just fine.
3. Practice Mindfulness and Emotional Awareness
Being mindful teaches you to notice your thoughts and emotions without letting them control your actions. You learn to pause before spiraling into “what if” thinking.
A study found that mindfulness-based practices increase decision-making confidence and reduce avoidant and impulsive choices.14
Often, what we call “indecisiveness” is really emotional discomfort, fear, guilt, or worry that we haven’t yet acknowledged.
By naming what you feel, you strip it of power. Simply labeling your emotions, for instance, “I’m anxious about choosing this,” lowers activity in the brain areas responsible for fear.
You don’t need to meditate for hours to benefit. Here’s what to do:
Label your feelings out loud when trying to make a decision so your brain can process it.- Focus on your senses: The sounds you hear, the texture of what you’re touching, or the temperature of the air to be in control of your surroundings.
- Write down one decision you made each day and note how it turned out. Seeing a running list of choices you handled well strengthens belief in your own ability, which is the idea behind self-efficacy.
- Remind yourself that feeling unsure is human. Every decision carries some uncertainty, and that’s okay.
4. Seek Professional Help
When indecisiveness affects work, relationships, and emotional well-being, you need professional help. A therapist can help you identify the roots of your indecision and teach practical strategies to manage it.
CBT is a widely used approach to treating indecisiveness. It helps you notice and change unhelpful thinking patterns that fuel your fear of mistakes. It has been shown to reduce decision-related anxiety.15
Another approach is called acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). It focuses on learning to live with uncertainty. It teaches you to make choices guided by your values rather than by fear or doubt.
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) are other types of therapist-guided treatments known to improve decision-making under stress.
For people whose indecisiveness is linked to depression, generalized anxiety disorder, or obsessive-compulsive tendencies, therapy is life-changing.
Mental Health Support for Indecisive Adults at Mission Connection
If indecisiveness has started to take over your life, Mission Connection can help you find clarity.
Our licensed therapists specialize in helping adults overcome chronic indecision, anxiety, perfectionism, and other emotional barriers that hold you back. We use evidence-based therapies such as CBT, ACT, and mindfulness-based approaches.
At Mission Connection, we also consider your preference for in-person sessions or online care. You’ll receive compassionate, goal-oriented support that helps you understand the root causes of your indecision and develop practical tools to overcome them.
References
- Ferrari, J. (2010). Psychology of Procrastination: Why People Put Off Important Tasks Until the Last Minute. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2010/04/procrastination
- Kable, J. W., & Glimcher, P. W. (2009). The Neurobiology of Decision: Consensus and Controversy. Neuron, 63(6), 733–745. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2009.09.003
- Ciria, L. F., Quintero, M. J., López, F. J., Luque, D., Cobos, P. L., & Morís, J. (2021). Intolerance of uncertainty and decisions about delayed, probabilistic rewards: A replication and extension of Luhmann, C. C., Ishida, K., & Hajcak, G. (2011). PLOS ONE, 16(9), e0256210. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256210
- Appel, H., & Gerlach, A. L. (2025). Making it Worse by Trying to Make it Better: Intolerance of Uncertainty is Associated with Maladaptive Safety Behavior in Decision Making. Cognitive Therapy and Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-025-10659-1
- Frost, R. O., & Shows, D. L. (1993). The nature and measurement of compulsive indecisiveness. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 31(7), 683-IN2. https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-7967(93)90121-a
- Patalano, A. L., & LeClair, Z. (2011). The influence of group decision making on indecisiveness-related decisional confidence. Judgment and Decision Making, 6(2), 163–175. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1930297500004113
- Pignault, A., Rastoder, M., & Houssemand, C. (2023). The Relationship between Self-Esteem, Self-Efficacy, and Career Decision-Making Difficulties: Psychological Flourishing as a Mediator. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education, 13(9), 1553–1568. https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe13090113
- The Decision Lab. (2023). The Paradox of Choice. The Decision Lab. https://thedecisionlab.com/reference-guide/economics/the-paradox-of-choice
- Hallenbeck, H. W., Rodebaugh, T. L., & Thompson, R. J. (2022). Understanding indecisiveness: Dimensionality of two self-report questionnaires and associations with depression and indecision. Psychological Assessment, 34(2), 176–187. https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0001072
- Owen, J., Rhoades, G. K., & Stanley, S. M. (2013). Sliding Versus Deciding in Relationships: Associations With Relationship Quality, Commitment, and Infidelity. Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy, 12(2), 135–149. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332691.2013.779097
- Naong, M. N. (2012). The impact of management indecisiveness on employee motivation and performance. African Journal of Business Management, 6(9). https://doi.org/10.5897/ajbm11.2539
- The Power of Small Wins. (2011, May). Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2011/05/the-power-of-small-wins?utm_source=chatgpt.com
- Wright, C. E., Sheeran, P., Voils, C. I., & Blalock, D. V. (2023). A review of implementation intentions as a tool to benefit high-need patients and healthcare systems: U.S. veterans affairs as an exemplar. Patient Education and Counseling, 116, 107937–107937. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2023.107937
- Donate, A. P. G., de Macedo, E. C., Bedendo, A., Félix Júnior, I., Gallo, G. G., Opaleye, E. S., & Noto, A. R. (2023). The effect of mindfulness on decision-making, inhibitory control, and impulsivity of substance use disorder in-treatment patients: A randomized clinical trial. PLoS ONE, 18(11), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0293502
- Trouble Making Decisions? Follow these Guidelines to Combat Indecisiveness. (n.d.). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Los Angeles. https://cogbtherapy.com/cbt-blog/trouble-making-decisions-combat-indecisiveness
