{"id":2557,"date":"2011-05-05T06:00:28","date_gmt":"2011-05-05T11:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/?p=2557"},"modified":"2024-06-19T07:38:59","modified_gmt":"2024-06-19T11:38:59","slug":"the-paralysis-of-choice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/the-paralysis-of-choice\/","title":{"rendered":"The Paralysis of Choice"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The recent exercise of booking my flights back to Canada from New Zealand was a harrowing one. It took forever to actually decide on a plan of action and execute it. And for a full-time traveler, it shouldn\u2019t have been that difficult. Then again, maybe my very freedom inspired this paralysis; the paralysis of choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>This post was originally published in 2011. It has since been updated for accuracy of links and content.&nbsp;<\/em><br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/The-Paralysis-of-Choice-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Planning where to travel to? The Paralysis of Choice is REAL. #TheProfessionalHobo #TravelPlanning #traveltips #lifestyletravel\" class=\"wp-image-13275\" width=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/The-Paralysis-of-Choice-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/The-Paralysis-of-Choice-400x600.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/The-Paralysis-of-Choice.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><em>NZ to <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>Canada<\/em><\/strong><strong><em>: It shouldn\u2019t be that difficult\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I had a starting point: New Zealand. And I had a final destination: Canada (to visit family and friends, who I haven\u2019t seen for a few years). But after spending six months in New Zealand, and returning to a place very familiar to me, I wanted to \u201cshake it up\u201d by visiting somewhere different (perhaps exotic) enroute. As a full-time traveler, I\u2019ve created a lifestyle that allows me to do that, and I figured I\u2019d be crazy not to exercise this privilege of choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But it was in making this choice that I became completely stymied. When the world is your oyster, where do you begin?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So I asked my readers, and polled my <a href=\"https:\/\/facebook.com\/TheProfessionalHobo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook fans<\/a>. I opened up a world atlas and searched for logical stopover points. And I researched \u2013 and researched, and researched \u2013 flights, routes, and possible itineraries; emerging day after day from fruitless hours spent online with nothing more than tired eyes and a frustrated spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nothing clicked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nothing seemed easy. Every time I thought I had it narrowed down, another possibility would fly in from stage left and confuse me again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This was the paralysis of&nbsp;choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/p615320922-2.jpg\" alt=\"sunset\"\/><\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><br \/><strong><em>How I\u2019ve traveled so far<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In the past, my travel decisions and destinations have been quite easy; a family wedding brought me to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/edmonton-even-the-eggs-are-different\/\">western Canada<\/a>, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/where-we-live\/\">unique caretaking position<\/a> drew me to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/goodbye-hawaii\/\">Hawaii<\/a>, a sponsored trip brought Australia into the picture, and filming a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/a-week-in-the-life-of-the-professional-hobo-shooting-a-tv-show\/\">television show<\/a> introduced me to New Zealand. In these situations (and others), there was always choice, but one option always stood out from the rest as the \u201cobvious\u201d one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But without an \u201cobvious choice\u201d this time around, the world suddenly became really big, with altogether too many places to go, none of which grabbed me or presented an opportunity inspirational enough for me to jump on board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And the longer I stalled on making a decision, the more stressed I became and the less happy and inspired I was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/p859276342-2.jpg\" alt=\"expansive beach\"\/><\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><br \/><strong><em>Choice = Misery<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Suggesting that \u201cChoice equals Misery\u201d is a long shot, but possibly not as far-fetched as you might imagine. Consider these situations:<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Monk<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A few weeks ago, a monk walked up the driveway to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/living-at-mana-retreat\/\">Mana Retreat Centre<\/a>. He was on a walking pilgrimage from Auckland, and needed a place to rest. According to his faith, he is not allowed to ask for anything. He owns nothing, and relies solely on the kindness of others for survival. In his (fairly strict) practice, he can\u2019t even help himself to a cup of tea; it must be offered and prepared for him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Seeing that he was tired and needed a place to pitch his tent and rest for a few days, we offered him just that. In turn, we also prepared his meals (he ate once a day), and regularly offered him tea, coffee, and even blankets and various amenities in an attempt to make his stay comfortable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One morning I told him that we were having some difficulty in determining what a good meal would be to prepare for him, knowing it\u2019s his only meal of the day, and not knowing what he enjoys or needs. I asked him if there was anything in particular he was craving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYes, but I can\u2019t tell you,\u201d he replied. \u201cI must simply accept whatever you offer.\u201d He went on to describe how the act of choosing something he wants or craves creates an attachment that contradicts his faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I shot him a \u201c<em>you-poor-thing, you-must-live-a-hard-life<\/em>\u201d look, he simply smiled and assured me that he\u2019s never been happier since he adopted this lifestyle; that it\u2019s amazing what happens when you accept whatever comes your way.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The African Farmers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The (hypothetical) African farmers wake up in the morning, tend their fields, and provide for their families. There is no choice in this routine; it\u2019s just what they do. They\u2019re usually born into this line of work, and if they don\u2019t continue with it, they \u2013 and their families \u2013 will starve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We should never wish destitution on anybody, and I\u2019m not supposing that poor people without life choices are happy by nature. But you can\u2019t deny how these farmers don\u2019t know \u2013 and haven\u2019t even considered &#8211; any other way of life, and they just get on with their day&#8230;with a smile on their face.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Isolated Tropical Islanders<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I read once about an isolated tropical island that is one of the few places left on Earth still completely disconnected from the \u201coutside world\u201d. The natives still live simply, and haven\u2019t been touched by modern society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Are these people unhappy because they don\u2019t have our modern conveniences? Of course not; they aren\u2019t even aware of another way of life. Are they happy? Fundamentally, yes. Sure, they have their moments as we all do, but the increasing mental health epidemics of our society (like depression) are completely foreign to them.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Even Me: The One-Bag Wonder<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I have also taken some measures to reduce the choices I have to make in life. By having <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/the-ultimate-packing-list-for-full-time-travel\/\">my belongings fit into a bag<\/a>, I have eliminated most consumer choice. If I want to buy something, it actually has to replace something else; I simply don\u2019t have room for extra stuff!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As such, I\u2019ve reduced the agony of consumer choice. No need to decide between an lcd or plasma screen television, or cruise through aisle after aisle of \u201cstuff\u201d in a big box store, figuring out how I can afford to buy this or that and still make my credit card payments. &#8220;The Joneses&#8221; are off my Christmas card list &#8211; no need to keep up with them any more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Heck \u2013 even the sheer amount of choice at a big grocery store overwhelms me! Do we really need to have 50 different types of cereal, a dozen different types of canned tomatoes, and 20 kinds of pasta? Whew. All I wanted was lunch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/p171378425-2.jpg\" alt=\"which path to choose\"\/><\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><br \/><strong><em>Travel Choice<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>And so we return to the idea that having too much choice in where to go and what to do next (without an option that seemed obvious and that I was passionate about) ultimately made me miserable. It led to a complete paralysis: the paralysis of choice.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><em>Reducing Choices<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>So if choice is paralyzing, ultimately leading to misery, the solution would be to reduce your choices, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But once you are used to having choices, bereaving yourself of that \u201cprivilege\u201d might seem extreme. Reducing my belongings to one bag was moderately extreme and might be incomprehensible to many people; in turn, the life choices of the monk who owns nothing and lives at the mercy of others didn\u2019t seem like a lot of fun to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But I <em>do <\/em>believe that choice \u2013 too much choice \u2013 is a recipe for unhappiness. Or maybe it\u2019s when we identify something we want but can\u2019t have \u2013 the feeling of deprivation \u2013 that leads to misery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>So how do we reduce our choices (a.k.a. misery) without feeling deprived? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The recent exercise of booking my flights back to Canada from New Zealand was a harrowing one. It took forever to actually decide on a plan of action and execute it. And for a full-time traveler, it shouldn\u2019t have been that difficult. Then again, maybe my very freedom inspired this &#8230; <a title=\"The Paralysis of Choice\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/the-paralysis-of-choice\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about The Paralysis of Choice\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9777,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[540,375,379],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2557","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-life-as-a-full-time-traveler","category-new-zealand","category-travel-planning","resize-featured-image"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Paralysis of Choice: A Case Study - The Professional Hobo<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In trying to figure out my next step, I became overwhelmed by choice...the paralysis of choice. 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