Thinker vs. Doer

I inherently have more the personality of a thinker than a doer. I like having enough time to process my thoughts and weigh both the positive and negative consequences of a situation before I act. I have to plan first, so I feel prepared and can make the right decision. At times I would consider this quality a weakness, similar to Hamlet, especially since I tend to over think problems, which makes the situation more complicated than necessary and prevents me from taking action. I often take too long to make unimportant or everyday decisions, where the outcome has little effect. Even though I think before I speak, my thoughts usually sound better in my head than when they are said aloud. However, my doer side likes to be productive and not waste time. Also, in urgent situations, I would be able to react quickly. In contrast to Hamlet, I am a more consistent thinker. He hesitates to murder Claudius while he is praying, but then rashly stabs Polonius to death without considering that someone else may be hiding behind the curtain. Also, Hamlet has unusuallly dark thoughts because he worries that Claudius might not suffer in Hell rather than about the moral dilemma of killing a person.

Thinking and doing are not exactly opposed to each other, but one needs to find a balance between them, like all qualities. Thinkers need to put more of their thoughts into action by not over analyzing a situation, while doers should first think matters through to avoid making impulsive or careless decisions. It is important that people are thoughtful, but not to such an extent that they miss the chance to take an opportunity. Sometimes it is easier to just make a quick decision and act without worrying about it. One of my goals is to become more decisive and not spend as much time thinking.