Ahmed

We freak out when we hear “decisions”. We don’t want to make them. We prefer to avoid making decisions.

We think decisions are hard because they are irreversible. Once you make a decision, it will haunt you all your life. But the truth is, the majority of decisions are reversible. You can choose a path, and if something doesn’t work, you can change it.

From big life plans to groceries, reversible decisions are everywhere. We just need to better spot them. Make it a habit, and you’ll get good at spotting those. Here’s a grocery example: tomato purée.

You are getting groceries and you don’t know if you should pick that big bottle of tomato puree or two small ones. The problem is you know when you open the big bottle you need to use it in the next 3 days. And you are not sure if you can do it. But financially, the big bottle is less expensive.

Now which one you should pick? What’s the reversible decision?

What can happen if you pick the big bottle? If you use it all, that’s good. If you didn’t, you need to use it in the next 3 days, or you will throw it away. SO MUCH STRESS TOMATOES! Calm down.

If you pick two small ones and end up needing a lot of purée, you can use both. If you only need a small amount, you can open one and let the other for another time. No 3 days limit, no rush, no stress.

Picking two small bottles is always the best choice. Even if you don’t end up using the tomato puree, you are better throwing a small bottle than a big one. For the price difference, which is usually some cents, it isn’t worth the mental overhaul. If you can save your mind from thinking about this every time you are in a supermarket, just pay those extra cents.

This exercise is a good investment in the long run. And a good example of reversible decisions.

Next time you have a decision, take the reversible one. There is always one out there.

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