The Art of Making Decisions - Alan Watts | After Skool
Oct 12, 2025
A farmer's tale illustrates the balance between instinct and decision-making, revealing how overthinking can paralyze us. Alan Watts dives into the nature of anxiety surrounding choices, emphasizing that the complexities and unknowns often overwhelm us. He highlights the importance of embracing uncertainty, encouraging a more intuitive approach to life. This thought-provoking discussion merges philosophy with practicality, inspiring listeners to make decisions with confidence and clarity.
05:41
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
The Farmer And The Extraordinary Worker
Alan Watts tells a farmer story about a remarkable worker who quickly accomplishes huge tasks on the farm.
The farmer struggles to classify crops and realizes the work leads to endless decisions about potatoes and tasks.
insights INSIGHT
Decisions Breed Anxiety But Often Work
Watts observes that decision-making generates anxiety because we can never consider infinite data.
He concludes many decisions succeed despite limited conscious control or exhaustive thought.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Decide Quickly When Data Is Infinite
Stop overthinking variables you cannot control and make the decision quickly when needed.
Act on a vague idea when appropriate because often spontaneous choices still lead to good outcomes.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
The Art of Making Decisions - Alan Watts
Speech extract from "Do You Do It or Does It Do You?: How to Let the Universe Meditate You" by Alan Watts, courtesy of https://alanwatts.orgAlan Wilson Watts (6 January 1915 – 16 November 1973) was a well-known British philosopher, writer and speaker, best known for his interpretation of Eastern philosophy for Western audiences.He left behind more than 25 books and an audio library of nearly 400 talks, which are still in great demand.Follow the Alan Watts Organization:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3wxPA1SphHxKGdOGVjrg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alanwattsofficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alanwattsorg/
Full lectures found at: https://www.alanwatts.com/
Speech licensed from: https://mindsetdrm.com/Get the After Skool Kid's Book - Why Don't Country Flags Use The Color Purple? - https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Country-Flags-Color-Purple/dp/0578489244
Get in touch via https://www.afterskool.net/
Please support on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/AfterSkoolFollow on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/afterskool100/?hl=en
and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/afterskool100
Follow the podcast for new episodes.
We cannot change the world. But we can change ourselves...and that will change the world. The goal of this podcast is to empower the individual and deliver profound ideas through art.
Find After Skool on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AfterSkool/videos
Disclaimer: This podcast is an independent initiative inspired by the thought-provoking content of After Skool. It is created by a viewer who appreciates the depth of the ideas shared and wants to make them more accessible in an audio format. While every effort is made to preserve the essence of the original content, this is not an official After Skool production, nor is it affiliated with or endorsed by After Skool. All rights to the original material belong to After Skool. If you have any concerns regarding this podcast, please feel free to reach out.
After Skool