I was recently shopping at a local grocery store for my weekly supply of food and did my usual observation of people.  I was interested in what they would choose regarding their meals.  Now, you may be thinking, “What the heck is this guy wanting to know what other people will buy?”  I know, crazy me.

It’s more of simply seeing the kinds of choices we all make.  So, here I was watching people at the grocery store.  Each person making decisions.  Some people knew what they wanted right away.  Some to those had a shopping list.  Others simply wandered around looking lost.  And then there were the people looking at the bins of various sweets.  These were the kinds of bins that you would use a scoop.  I could see their mouths watering.

When most people make a decision to buy something, emotions usually will take over.  In this case, the people looking at the bins full of candy-  their “sweet tooth” was in full control.

Each moment we are making decisions, whether it’s shopping at a grocery store or who to vote for.  Many times it is pretty simple.  If you’re a Republican or Democrat, you normally will vote for your party’s candidate.  Still, this is mostly based on ideology (and emotions), not rationality.  We do this in so many decisions, especially when it’s and either-or type.  Our minds can function only up to three choices.  Any more and it stops functioning.  Smart marketers know this.

Too many choices and we will make no choice.  We stop.  And each moment we are faced with a multitude of choices.  What happens?  We simply take the easiest road.  The one we don’t have to put any effort into.  We don’t have to think.  We just let our emotional brains take over.  This is the limbic system in full control.  Our hypothalamus tells us it’s okay to grab that sweet or stay on the sofa and not workout.

We have to learn to become thinkers again.  And this becomes a Catch-22.  Too much thinking can lead to inertia.  Too little thinking can lead to irrational decisions.  There’s always that fine line.  Bring enough to start making critical decisions that lead to positive action.  Know what is best for you and then do it.  Think more and do more (good work).

I wish you good thinking folks,

Bob