Recently I sat down to review my Big Picture. A Big Picture is a vision of your ideal life, ideally one of balance and growth that gives you purpose and satisfaction. Having a vision matters. The Bible says, "Where there is no vision, the people perish" (Proverbs 29:18a KJV).But as I considered everything I wanted to improve, something unexpected happened. I didn't feel inspired. I felt overwhelmed. So many options. Where do I start? What deserves my energy first?If you've ever felt stuck because you had too many good options, not too few, this post is for you. Research and Scripture point to the same two steps.<h2 id="2a037520-d693-45ce-a28a-9c783f8372f3" data-toc-id="2a037520-d693-45ce-a28a-9c783f8372f3" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;">Step One: Reduce the Number of Options</h2>In the well-known "jam study," shoppers were shown a table of 24 jams and, at another time, a table of 6. The larger display drew more attention, but the smaller one produced more sales (Iyengar &amp; Lepper, 2000). Later research found that this effect doesn't appear every time, but it is more likely when the choices are complex and a person's preferences are unclear to him or her (Chernev, Böckenholt, &amp; Goodman, 2015).The same thing happens with personal growth. Mental, physical, spiritual, and social growth each offer dozens of worthwhile options. If you try to weigh them all, you'll likely do nothing. Cut your list down to a handful.<h2 id="5e368add-c151-4d0c-b8e2-cd708df4d922" data-toc-id="5e368add-c151-4d0c-b8e2-cd708df4d922" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;">Step Two: Pay Attention to Your Feelings</h2>Choosing isn't purely logical. Neuroscientist Antonio Damasio (1994) studied patients with brain damage who had lost the ability to feel bodily and emotional signals. They could still reason logically, yet they couldn't make good decisions. They had lost the emotional cues that work like an internal umpire.<h2 id="7532b330-be59-4543-be2a-c9cb09a2062c" data-toc-id="7532b330-be59-4543-be2a-c9cb09a2062c" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;">What Scripture Adds: Let Peace Be the Umpire</h2>I care about science, but I also want biblical guidance, so I went looking. Proverbs 3:5–6 says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do and he will show you which path to take" (NLT). That's reassuring, but I still asked: How does God show me which path to take?Then Colossians 3:15a caught my attention: "And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts" (NLT). The Greek word translated "rule" (brabeuo) means to arbitrate or decide, like an umpire controlling the game. Heartfelt peace, it seems, is one of the ways God gives direction.<h2 id="1a75110e-8b9e-4cac-879d-993159ea9883" data-toc-id="1a75110e-8b9e-4cac-879d-993159ea9883" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;">Green Lights and Red Lights</h2>That means I need to notice which options give me peace and which stir up negative feelings. Those feelings work like green lights and red lights for my growth. They help me eliminate options and choose which to act on.Ask one question first: is this option moral, ethical, and beneficial? Set aside anything immoral, unethical, or harmful. Among the options that remain, move toward the ones that give you peace and away from the ones that stir up discomfort. Peace isn't the same as ease. A right choice can still be hard, but underneath the effort your heart feels settled.<h2 id="726567ae-39d3-4bec-b9eb-1aa99aefa9a2" data-toc-id="726567ae-39d3-4bec-b9eb-1aa99aefa9a2" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;">Start With a Well-Designed Big Picture</h2>This whole process starts with a well-thought-out, quality Big Picture. It is foundational, and a well-designed one goes a long way toward growing an ideal life. If you'd like guidance improving yours or creating one from scratch, I wrote <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1687376352">252 Lifestyle Workbook – Journal Book 1</a> for exactly that purpose.<hr><h2 id="40c1728e-b091-4d5c-9bbc-3c2d67d990ee" data-toc-id="40c1728e-b091-4d5c-9bbc-3c2d67d990ee" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;">Did you find this helpful? Would you like more — but not too much more?</h2>Once every two weeks, I send a short, practical article focused on living a less stressful, more abundant life — helping you maintain life balance and grow mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially over time.You can subscribe by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hpaulstanleycoaching.com/stress-relief---life-balance-news-tips-opt-in/">clicking here</a>.&nbsp;SourcesChernev, A., Böckenholt, U., &amp; Goodman, J. K. (2015). Choice overload: A conceptual review and meta-analysis. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 25(2), 333–358.Damasio, A. R. (1994). Descartes' Error: Emotion, Reason, and the Human Brain. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons.Iyengar, S. S., &amp; Lepper, M. R. (2000). When choice is demotivating: Can one desire too much of a good thing? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79(6), 995–1006.

Overwhelmed by too many options for your growth? Science and Scripture agree on two steps: narrow your choices and pay attention to the peace—or unrest—your heart is telling you.

Overwhelmed by Too Many Options? Two Steps to Know Where to Start

What Scripture Adds: Let Peace Be the Umpire

Did you find this helpful? Would you like more — but not too much more?

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Overwhelmed by Too Many Options? Two Steps to Know Where to Start

Overwhelmed by Too Many Options? Two Steps to Know Where to Start

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