A Slice of Advice to Beat the Paradox of Choice

Here’s a slice of truth that isn’t exactly a profound breakthrough: I love pizza.

Two blocks from my house, a corner takeout place features an amazing wooden oven, two high tables, and six stools.

Two brothers from Napoli, now in Amsterdam, bake starchy art.

This special place holds a corner in my heart. It’s where my wife and I indulge occasionally.

The ambience is zero, but we dine in. Consuming pizza seconds out of the oven proves unbeatable.

I could ramble on and on about my fetish for their crusty pies, but that’s not my point.

I want to talk about the game we play when we go there: we never choose the toppings.

I like to tell the guy behind the counter to make us whatever he would make for himself on that day.

That makes him proud. And it’s also good business as he can push the most expensive ingredients.

They have so many topping options that choosing can be a battle between my wife and me.

This game removes the burden of decision-making.

And the anticipation of not knowing what we will devour serves as a delicious starter.

THE MINDFUCK

The paradox of choice is real.

It can relate to pizza toppings, word choice, or your business's next step.

Choices can cripple. We often associate the freedom to choose with liberation. But for creators and entrepreneurs, this privilege can become an oppressive mental maze.

When launching your product or service, platforms are virtually limitless.

Should you leverage Facebook ads or invest in Google SEO? Go for a viral TikTok campaign, or prefer a YouTube series?

The questions are endless, the possibilities vast, and the choice becomes its own monster.

THE MINDSET

Simplify decision-making by making room for experimentation.

Like our pizza game, give yourself constraints that remove decisions.

Let's distinguish “simple” from “simplistic”. Mark Zuckerberg wears the same colour of t-shirt every day. That’s simplistic and boring, the equivalent of only sticking to Margherita.

We have chosen our favourite place. Little can go wrong if we let randomness do its thing.

Narrow down choices to go wild with what’s left.

This might mean testing various marketing strategies, experimenting with content formats, or exploring innovative pricing models. Not all experiments will succeed. My wife hates anchovies. That's okay, more for me.

The key lies in learning and adapting.

When you simplify and reduce decisions, you free mental bandwidth. Utilize this space to focus on analyzing outcomes, exploring lessons learned, and refining your approach.

This shift changes everything.

You see the big picture. You spot patterns. You connect previously invisible dots. You learn your market's nuances. You observe subtle audience behaviours. You grasp your industry's dynamics.

Because, in the end, the perfect pizza might just be the one you didn't plan for.

Have a delicious Sunday,

Khlauss

Ps: before you rush to order a crusty pie, drop me a reply if you enjoy any of this. If you forward it to a friend, I’ll buy you a slice next time you’re in Amsterdam.