Choices (Photo credit: emilio labrador)
Give someone 24 choices of jam… They’ll taste a lot of them. They’ll enjoy them. More often than not, they won’t commit to them. They don’t buy. 6 choices of jam and the commitment rate jumps. Many more buy with fewer choices
We’ve bought into the lie that choice equals freedom.
A diner offers a 12 page menu. You can choose from Hungarian goulash to spanikopitas to bagels and lox to burgers. It takes long to decide and you’re likely to second guess your choice – – – “This goulash is OK, I should gotten the bagels and lox instead.”
Go to a burger place that offers 3 types of burgers and chicken sandwich. You’ll decide in seconds and be satisfied.
Habits are freedom. A habit is something you don’t think about. It just happens. After spending time in the military people often leave with the habit of waking early and showering quickly. They don’t think whether to do it. They aren’t happy or unhappy doing it. It just happens… Second nature.
Creating good habits intentionally creates freedom.
Workout every day. Always eat healthily. Wake at the same time Monday through Sunday. Always kiss your wife before you go to bed. Plan your day and what you’ll achieve before opening email.
The key is in the “every” and the “always“.
After a while you don’t think about these things. You just do them. This is the easiest way to go from try to do.
Remove your freedom of choice. Choose to be free.
You get more done when there’s less to choose from. And that’s a jam worth buying…
