Say Yes
Life is a series of choices—big and small. From picking a career to deciding what to eat for dinner, our days are filled with decisions. Yet, saying "yes" to something can feel overwhelming in a world brimming with options. Let’s explore why choosing can be so challenging and how to make it simpler and more satisfying.
Too Many Choices, Too Much Agony
Imagine walking into an ice cream shop with 100 flavours. Exciting, right? But after scanning the endless list of options, you might feel paralysed. This phenomenon is called choice overload, and it’s why too many options can leave us feeling stuck. When faced with an overload of possibilities, our desire to choose diminishes. We’d rather walk away than make the “wrong” choice.
Here’s why:
The Brain’s Limits: Our brain is great at navigating uncertainty, but it’s not a supercomputer. It struggles to compare countless options effectively.
Emotional Overload: When the stakes are high, like choosing a career or partner, our brain shifts into emotional mode, weighing facts against experiences and feelings. If the facts pile up too high, our brains can “go on tilt,” making it harder to decide.
Decisions vs. Selections: A Key Difference
Decisions are relatively straightforward compared to selections. Think about this:
Decision: “I want a family someday with a loving partner and 1 or 2 kids.”
Selection: “Who will be the right partner for me?”
The first is a broad goal—a decision. The second is where the agony of selection begins. Comparing alternatives, dealing with uncertainties, and worrying about the cost of making the “wrong” choice can make selecting feel daunting.
Why Choosing Feels So Hard
Several factors contribute to the agony of selection:
Too Many Alternatives: The more options, the harder it is to choose.
Unclear Desires: Not knowing exactly what you want complicates the process.
Moral Dilemmas: Choices that challenge your values can feel joyless.
Opportunity Cost: Saying “yes” to one thing means saying “no” to others, which can feel like a loss.
Practical Costs: Money, time, and effort often weigh heavily on our choices.
Tricks for Simplifying Selections
Thankfully, there are ways to cut through the noise and say “yes” with confidence:
Narrow Your Goal: Be clear about what you want. A focused goal reduces the number of options you need to consider.
Example: Instead of asking, “What career should I pursue?” ask, “What career aligns with my love for helping people?”
Be Satisfied: Make decisions quickly and avoid overanalysing. Lengthy comparisons often don’t lead to better outcomes.
Example: Choosing a restaurant? Pick one based on a good review or a friend’s recommendation and stick with it.
Follow Your Gut: For big, meaningful choices, trust your intuition. Your heart often knows the answer before your brain catches up.
Example: When selecting a home, the one that “feels right” often is.
Resist Excess: Avoid overwhelming yourself with too many options. Limit your choices and stick to a manageable number.
Example: Instead of browsing hundreds of job listings, shortlist 5 that excite you the most.
Own Your Decision: The most important trick is making peace with your choice. Recognise your emotional and intuitive core, which can get buried under endless analysis.
Example: Once you’ve chosen a college, focus on making the most of your experience rather than second-guessing your decision.
Real-Life Example: Steve Jobs’ Black Turtleneck
Steve Jobs famously wore the same black turtleneck every day. By eliminating trivial choices about his wardrobe, he freed his mind for bigger decisions. His approach highlights the power of reducing choices to focus on what truly matters.
Say Yes to Simplicity
At the end of the day, making selections doesn’t have to be agonising. Simplify, focus, and trust yourself. Say “yes” to what feels right and let go of the rest. After all, life is less about finding the “perfect” option and more about making the most of the choices you’ve made.
Explore your potential, and train your mind to say yes with ease. Start your journey today! Get started