Why Clarity Feels Like A Luxury?
We live in a world overflowing with choices.
From breakfast cereals to career paths, dating apps to streaming platforms — the options never end.
But instead of freeing us, all this choice often leaves us anxious, doubtful, and stuck.
The more options we have, the harder it is to decide.
We hesitate. We second-guess. We wonder if we’ve made the right call.
This has been me for many years, and sometimes even now.
Somewhere along the way, we confused more options with more freedom.
We put choice on a pedestal.
And while having options can be good, too many can leave us adrift.
When everything is possible, nothing feels solid.
Without commitment, we float.
Doubt creeps in.
Think about a big decision you’ve had to make — where to live, what to study, who to be with.
It likely didn’t feel empowering.
It felt overwhelming.
The more you thought about it, the messier it got.
Even after choosing, you might’ve wondered if you got it wrong.
That’s the trap of too much choice: it rarely brings peace.
It wasn’t always like this.
For most of human history, simplicity wasn’t a lifestyle trend — it was a fact of life.
People lived in tight-knit villages, worked the land they didn’t own, and followed social roles that had existed for generations.
The idea of “finding yourself” or “choosing your path” didn’t exist.
In a pre-industrial world, life was shaped by necessity, not Netflix algorithms.
Work was organised around family units. Fathers, mothers, and children each had their roles.
Religion and community provided structure. People knew who they were and where they belonged.
There weren’t endless choices — just one clear direction.
And while that may sound limiting now, there was something grounding in that clarity.
It gave people a sense of place, of purpose.
Oddly enough, I’ve felt a modern echo of that kind of clarity in my own life.
As someone who grew up in the Philippines before moving to Australia, I’ve lived under the quiet (and sometimes not-so-quiet) pressure of a predetermined path.
Most of us, while still young, believed our paths were set for us.
Become a doctor. Maybe an engineer.
At the very least, something stable and “respectable.”
This wasn’t just career advice — it was love disguised as expectation.
There wasn’t a dizzying menu of options. There was a path.
One that had already been walked.
And while I’ve pushed against it, I’ve also come to see it as a kind of compass.
A modern mirror of the old-world structure.
The same desire for certainty, just dressed in new clothes.
So what do we do in a world that gives us everything but direction?
The answer isn’t to get rid of choice — it’s to get clear on what matters most.
Derek Sivers, in his book, Anything you want, mentioned that to make better decisions, decide if something is a “hell yeah” or not. If it’s not a resounding hell yeah, it could be meh, yeah nah, or yeah, then that’s a no.
When you know what you truly want, decisions become simpler.
You stop weighing every option the same.
You start asking one key question:
Does this bring me closer to what I want?
That kind of clarity builds momentum.
It helps you say no with confidence.
You get less distracted.
You follow through.
You feel grounded.
Psychologists agree — people with clear goals tend to be happier, more focused, and less anxious.
They waste less time on regret and more on what matters.
Picture an archer. The target doesn’t move. The arrow flies straight.
That’s the power of focus.
But if the target keeps shifting — or worse, doesn’t exist — you spin your wheels and go nowhere.
In a culture obsessed with options, clarity is true freedom.
The freedom to move forward.
To focus.
To live with intent.
So next time choice overwhelms you, pause.
Ask:
What do I really want?
What would I choose if I could only pick once?
Make that your aim.
Let the rest fade.
I keep telling myself this on repeat, too. And no, I didn’t become a doctor — clearly, I missed the family memo. :p
Stay grounded,
Margaret
P.S. If you enjoyed this brief missive about clarity, I invite you to subscribe here, where I share insights, case studies, and musings on business and beyond. As always, thanks for your attention and for being part of my journey.
