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A Straightforward Answer to Career-Decision Paralysis
There’s a dark side to the growth mindset — and this can get you past it.
The more choices you face, the longer it will take you to make a decision.
It’s not exactly an immutable law, but it has its own name: the Hicks-Hyman effect. You might know it as the Law of Netflix: we spend more time shuffling through lists of shows and previews than actually watching them.
If you’ve tried to cultivate an abundance or growth mindset, you’re particularly vulnerable:
“It’s not zero-sum! The world is full of choices and resources! Even bad things that happen are merely lessons in disguise!”
“I can do anything! I can become a coach! A programmer! A yoga instructor! A screen printing graphic recorder chef scrum master…um…and..and…”
Then it starts to hit you:
There are infinite available paths, but each requires time and money and energy, all of which are frustratingly and increasingly finite.
I’m not getting any younger.
Embracing possibilities is all well and good, but it’s like a Netflix of your potential life choices.