Option overload

One of the reasons you and I have such trouble taking action is that we’re overloaded with options.

It’s more difficult to make twenty major decisions, any of which could lead to failure, than to make one decision, the same decision, over and over again.

I’m at that period in my life where I could have heaps – literally millions – of options. I’ve heard many times from supposedly brilliant people that when you’re young, you should create as many options as you can. In fact, according to some, creating options should be a guiding principle in all my decisions. Think, “Does this open more options for me?” If the answer’s yes, then follow that path.

That’s hogwash. Options not chosen paralize. Options not chosen dilute the attractiveness of the option chosen, which leads regret if the decision is even made at all.

I’m not married, so I’ll use that decision process as an example.

Decision #1: Get married or not? Let’s say get married.

Decision #2: Get married today or not? Let’s say not.

Decision #3: Then when? Let’s say in two months.

Decision #4: What do I need to do before then? Insane.

The more questions you ask, the more options you create – exponentially. You can see how quickly the decisions explode into thousands of options. Sometimes you have thousands of options for just one decision.

Adding to the overload, when you choose one option, by the process of elimination, you’re eliminating all the other options. That’s good for decision making, but hard on the decision maker. The decision might be the right one, but in the moment of decision, it’s extremely difficult to just throw out all those other options. That’s option overload.

So pull the bondChristian move and don’t create options. How many times have you heard, “No one should tell me how live my life.” No offense to the world of friends who’ve said that, but that’s exactly what I want someone to tell me. That’s why I’m a bondChristian.

And yes, two options can still be too many. Two options can still be option overload.

Serving Suggestions:

(1) Pick a decision in your life, the first one that comes to mind. How could you get out adding options to it? How could you reduce the options? That’s what you need to do.

(2) Answer in the comments: what’s the #1 decision you feel most overwhelmed to make? (Notice how I framed that question. I wrote it so it’s difficult to even choose an answer to it. Ah, the difficultly of choosing just one.)