What’s your grocery-shopping-strategy?
- I write a short shopping-list.
- I always buy the same stuff – so I don‘t need a shopping-list.
- I‘ll have a look at special offers and buy additionally the same stuff as usual.
- I always buy the cheapest.
- I‘m using a special evaluation-matrix during my shopping.
- I simply buy just the blue-colored products.
My answers: 1, 3, maybe 6
I‘m not familiar with the products at my new-fav-supermarket in the USA. Thus I had to figure out how the soy-milk tastes, to evaluate the quality of the veggies and to get familiar with the granola.
When we needed some special items, like vegan-chorizo, we got it there. But as soon as it comes to buying the daily groceries like soy-milk, almond-milk, juice. I got paralyzed.
There were too many options. At least 30 brands of soy-milk, 15 of almond-milk, spelt-milk, rice-milk, oat-milk, coconut-water…
Yes, hell. According to Barry Schwartz, people in developed countries got stuck in the paradox of choice. We try to maximize our wealth. Right?
We think this could be done through maximizing freedom. So we try to maximize freedom through the maximization of choice. Therefore we start to offer choices based on the common believe – that at the end we are all able to enjoy our wealth because we had the freedom to choose.
But, honestly, as soon as you made your choice, you start thinking what could have happened if you decided in an other way. You may regret your choice, thinking about missed opportunities, while your future expectations are escalating…All this makes you feel miserable and unsatisfied.
And, hell yes you can copy paste the grocery-shopping-paralyzation to your life.
I was taught, that I can achieve everything I want. I can become whoever I want to be. Learn & study whatever I want to feed to my brain. Drawing from the full source.
At one point of time I realized that I was paralyzed. In business, my head hit the famous glass ceiling. In in private life I was a rambler and a seeker. I needed some time to get rid of the dizziness. It was followed by happiness.
And I learnt, low expectations are the fundament for the most amazing surprises.
What‘s the secret for gaining happiness?
Lower your expectations.
YOU are responsible for your decision. No one else.
Be bold.
Shoot for the stars!
Barry Schwartz‘ Ted Talk on the paradox of choice:
http://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_on_the_paradox_of_choice.html
Me, my good self & India 