Тонкое искусство пофигизма

           Soifyouhaveachoicebetweentwoplacestoliveandpickone,you’lllikelyfeelconfidentandcomfortablethatyoumadetherightchoice.You’llbesatisfiedwithyourdecision.

           Butifyouhaveachoiceamongtwenty-eightplacestoliveandpickone,theparadoxofchoicesaysthatyou’lllikelyspendyearsagonizing,doubting,andsecond-guessingyourself,wonderingifyoureallymadethe“right”choice,andifyou’retrulymaximizingyourownhappiness.Andthisanxiety,thisdesireforcertaintyandperfectionandsuccess,willmakeyouunhappy.

           Sowhatdowedo?Well,ifyou’relikeIusedtobe,youavoidchoosinganythingatall.Youaimtokeepyouroptionsopenaslongaspossible.Youavoidcommitment.

           Butwhileinvestingdeeplyinoneperson,oneplace,onejob,oneactivitymightdenyusthebreadthofexperiencewe’dlike,pursuingabreadthofexperiencedeniesustheopportunitytoexperiencetherewardsofdepthofexperience.Therearesomeexperiencesthatyoucanhaveonlywhenyou’velivedinthesameplaceforfiveyears,whenyou’vebeenwiththesamepersonforoveradecade,whenyou’vebeenworkingonthesameskillorcraftforhalfyourlifetime.NowthatI’minmythirties,Icanfinallyrecognizethatcommitment,initsownway,offersawealthofopportunityandexperiencesthatwouldotherwiseneverbeavailabletome,nomatterwhereIwentorwhatIdid.

           Whenyou’repursuingawidebreadthofexperience,therearediminishingreturnstoeachnewadventure,eachnewpersonorthing.