30 Days of Decision
We live in a world with an abundance of choice. However, as the options available to us increase, so does the complexity in making a decision.
The worst byproduct of such freedom to choose is the freedom to backtrack on a decision.
Don’t like something you bought? Not to worry, there’s a 30 day return policy.
Unsure whether you’re getting the best option for your needs? Turn around and take your pick from 5 other options.
Bleu Cheese or Thousand Island with your salad? Bleu Cheese…no Thousand Island…no….can you come back to me?
Hemming and hawing over the myriad of choices can easily lead to indecision. That is why I’ve decided to spend the next 30 days sticking to every decision I make.
The Rules
As usual, I like to keep things simple, so there is really just one rule– if I decide something, I have to live with it.
If I buy something I don’t like, I won’t return it.
If I decide to do something, I must do it.
Why?
Primarily, I’m interested in the ramifications of having to live with the trivial decisions that we make every day even if we don’t make the “right” one. It’s generally so easy to change our mind when we realize moments after making a decision (i.e. which DVD to rent) that we may not even notice when we backtrack on our initial decisions. I’m curious what sort of effects making the wrong decision, but making the best of it, will have. I like the idea that every little decision is like a fork in the road that will take us down one path or another. By resolving to stick to my original decision despite my misgivings, I will be taking the a completely different set of forks in the road.
30 Days
Just to be clear, the idea is not to hold off on switching up my decisions for just 30 days. Any decision I make during this experiment cannot be overturned, even after the 30 days has elapsed. The 30 day time frame is meant to provide enough of a sample to evaluate the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of this experiment. If it proves to be fruitful, I will more than likely continue the practice. If not, I’ll have only spent 30 days on it.
Challenges
Here are some challenges I know I’m in for:
- Choosing where to eat. We don’t eat out very often and I want the experience to be worth my time and money.
- Deciding to buy something. I don’t like spending money, so when I do, I like to make sure I’m getting the best bang for my buck.
- Deciding which thing to buy. Similar to the previous one, but now that I’ve decided to spend money, I want to make sure I’m spending it on the right option.
Update: Read my evaluation of this experiment.