Bee the version of yourself who makes the right choice

We are who we choose to be. We define ourselves by our choices.

And we have to tell ourselves the truth about the choices we make.

Otherwise we don’t serve and protect our highest good.

Unfortunately, indecision has become the most common ailment of the modern world. There are numerous theories for this trend, from the psychological to the economical to the cultural.

But if you want proof of modern society’s inability to choose anything, look no further than the internet. Helping people with their choices has become a billion dollar industry.

There are countless review websites, where customers can read about people’s experiences with certain businesses, products or services before they part with money. Retailers like restaurants, stores and spas come to mind.

Yelp says if you’re looking for the best foot massage in the city, three hundred people agree that the sixth avenue location is the best bang for your buck.

Then there are recommendation engines, where algorithms make automatic predictions about the interests of a single user by collecting preferences or taste information from many users.

Streaming platforms and ecommerce marketplaces are the most obvious ones. Spotify says that if you liked this song, then you might like this other song. Amazon says the people who bought the same book you just finished also bought this other book.

Lastly, there’s an entire generation of apps meant to help you with your day to day decision making. One app turns your choices into equations that help you realize how much impact could be achieved by each choice. Another app helps simplify decisions with a digital pro and con list.

While another app will create a poll with friends or even strangers that helps you finalize your choice.

Point is, these apps, engines and websites help bring some measure of order and joy to people’s lives. Many of our cherished experiences and prized possessions are the direct result of algorithms that nudged us towards choices that were optimized for our unique preferences.

The downside to such technology, however, is that it disempowers one of our fundamental human necessities. Making our own choices.

After all, it is through our choices that we become who we are. Any mature person form his self in the choices that he makes.

Now, if you ask anyone who works for one of those decision making software platforms, they’ll claim that their technology does precisely that.

But they’re wrong. It’s too subtle. Too predictive. Too perfect. Not human enough. And anytime people are not aware of the choices they’re making moment by moment, they relinquish control over their ability to improve their lives.

The question people should get in the habit of asking is not, what choice is the internet telling me to make?

Instead, how could I become the version of myself who makes the right choice?

Because once the scaffolding of a daily practice in support of our authentic self is in place, the right choices happen on their own.

Without the need for an algorithm.

We can guard against hasty, rushed action and make decisions that are worthy of the people we really are.

How could you give yourself a design for making all choices?