Having Restrictions Frees You

Most people want “freedom”, but given complete freedom, people become paralyzed with choice. The term, “Paradox of Choice” was coined by author Barry Schwartz.

I know this from first hand experience. There are no restrictions on where I could live in the world, and the overwhelming number of choices left me with paralysis by analysis until late last year.

Of course, most readers live in free countries and are allowed to make their own decisions in all matters of life. But that means dealing with the paradox of choice – and the stress associated with it – multiple times in the day.

Allow me to explain using a common problem from clients in my fitness business. Imagine a busy executive who is trying to lose weight but also must attend several client dinners each week.

Without any restrictions, the executive will go to the dinner and almost without exception make a split-second bad dinner decision when looking at the menu (as you know, almost no one has time to thoroughly review a menu when out with colleagues). The executive will enjoy the food but afterwards will rue the decision.

The way to fix the problem is to have restrictions. The executive must say, “I only eat this food and that food at restaurants and I do not cheat on my diet during the week.” The executive must also share this restriction with others (see point 1 above) for accountability. This is how to avoid stumbles and guilt.

This is why you must create “rules” for your life. You must have your guiding philosophies written down. And you must be proud of your restrictions. You need to understand WHO you are and WHAT you want to achieve in life. Use your restrictions to guide you to your long-term goal and to help you overcome short-term struggles (such as peer pressure).

Since reading the article on the 12 Rules I Live By, my life has been better and less stressful, and my relationships with the people that matter to me stronger than ever.

Only when you do this, when you place restrictions on your life, will you be truly free.