In the modern world, our lives are increasingly filled with choices. From the abundance of restaurants and TV shows to the countless fashion trends and online streaming services, we have access to more options than ever before. But, is having so many choices really a blessing?
Recent studies suggest that having too many options can be detrimental to our mental and emotional wellbeing. Too many decision-making opportunities can lead to feelings of anxiety and indecisiveness. The feeling of being overwhelmed by an abundance of choices can be overwhelming, leading to a paralysis of sorts. As a result, we may be unable to make any decision at all and end up unhappy with whatever option we do choose.
An option can only add value to your life after it has been chosen! Thus, an unchosen option does not add value.
Another problem with having too many choices at our disposal is that it can lead to feelings of regret and dissatisfaction. When we have more than one option to choose from, we tend to compare them with each other, trying to figure out which one would be the “better” choice. This comparison can often lead to second-guessing our decision and feeling like we could have done better.
On top of that, having too many choices can also lead to a feeling of regret or dissatisfaction in the long run. We tend to believe that having more options means we should be able to find the “perfect” one for us but this is rarely the case. We end up either settling for an okay option, or feeling like none of the choices available were good enough.
In conclusion, it seems that having an abundance of choices can be more of a hindrance than a help in our lives. Being able to make decisions quickly and without comparison or regret can go a long way in helping us become more content with our decisions. Therefore, striking a balance between having enough options to make an informed choice, and having too many to feel overwhelmed, is essential for our happiness.
# 📣 In Action When you have more than 4 options, your brain gets overwhelmed in the evaluation process. So create a list of all your options. When you’ve done that - go cross out all except for 4. Which ones? It doesn’t matter! Trust your brain and hands and your “gut” (actually your basal ganglia). Then rewrite your list with just your 4 preferred options. Yes, you preferred those choices already. (Didn’t you know that you only knew what your preference was after you had made it 😉) Now your brain can evaluate the four remaining choices easily.
Tip: Yes, you are going to agonise over the discarded choices and question yourself repeatedly. Remember, an option can only add value to your life after it has been chosen, thus an unchosen option does not add value! Instead understand that “done is better than perfect”.
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