The Problem of Too Many Options and How To Pick the Right One

To find the right one for you, let’s go shopping

“There are so many opportunities out there for you.”

Ugh.

“You can do and be anything you want.”

Moan.

“There’s a veritable cornucopia of ideal life paths out there for you.”

Arrrrrrrgh!

Even though you’re “older” and lost your job, there are still tons of possibilities out there.

STOP IT!!!

What are you supposed to do with all of that?

Whether you are fifteen and thinking about life after high school or sixty years old and needing to find a new job or a new life, there can be too many choices.

I guess that’s a good thing. However…

Too many choices are overwhelming. Daunting. Scary.

This can shut you down and make you give up.

So, where do you start? How do you narrow it down? How do you choose?

There is an easy way. Read on.

Too much is too much

This dilemma reminds me of the 1970s and 80s when people from the Soviet Union would visit the United States and walk into a supermarket.

They would be overwhelmed by the amount of food and the variety of types and brands.

Some would have panic attacks from the mass of choices (and some believed the CIA staged it).

We face the same overwhelming challenge when offered too many life options.

Where do you start? How do you narrow it down? How do you choose the one that’s right for you?

A menu, then a shopping list

Let’s imagine for a moment that you have never been in a supermarket before. How do you shop and not drop from being overwhelmed and lost?

It’s pretty basic and easy.

First, you come up with a menu for what you want to eat.

As with your life, you consider what you like, want and need.

What is going to nurture your body?

You know what to avoid because they’re bad for you.

What will you enjoy?

From that, you have your shopping list.

Preparing a feast

The older you get, the better you’re going to be at making up that menu and shopping list.

Why?

You have years of real-world experience. You have learned a lot about life, the world and most importantly yourself.

What you value. What you need and want.

You have developed and advanced your skills, talent and experience.

The new phase of life called Olderhood is waiting

The old life map was: Learn, work, retire (briefly) and die.

The new life map is: As a kid, you learn.

As an adult, you’re an apprentice in life.

When you get older, it’s time to go pro and apply all you have learned to create, pursue or refine the life you want and need.

The modern-day economy, technology, business and a multitude of other factors are now poised to enable you to pursue and succeed in something totally new and different or slightly tweaked.

Then there’s the potential of increased life and health span if you take moderately good care of yourself and live with purpose and solid relationships.

Heck, I’m in my sixties and I am launching Paul Long v.4 which is New Way Forward . My kids will probably be on their v.8 by the time they reach my age, with more new versions to come.

How to become the chef for your life

Let’s say you’re a decent cook, but you want to be a chef and open a restaurant. What would you do?

You would pause. Think it through. Develop and advance your skills. Create a vision for what you want your restaurant to be and what would be on the menu.

To translate to your life change: You pause, and you think through what you want and need your life to be in all respects (lifestyle, income, fulfillment, health, relationships and purpose) to have the ideal life for you.

Then, put in the work needed to make your pivot, change, or transformation a success.

That’s just what I did years ago.

I put in the time, the homework, the research and the self-examination. Most of all, I challenged my assumptions and automatic thinking. I was honest with myself about myself.

I came up with my menu and my list and then went shopping.

It wasn’t easy, but it was oh-so-worth it. Very little else in life could be more worthwhile.

Never before in human history has this been available and it is there for all of us…IF…you are willing to choose and design your menu.

It is there for all of us.

Bon Appetit.

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