The Curation Muscle
Our ancestors’ lives were curated by circumstance—geography, economics, and social expectations. She had fewer choices but clearer direction.
You have infinite choices and no built-in curator. This creates a new kind of problem: decision fatigue disguised as freedom.
The solution isn't artificial constraints or life hacks. It's developing what I call the curation muscle, the ability to instinctively recognize what serves your deepest intentions versus what just feels appealing in the moment.
When you see a notification, you instantly know whether engaging with it moves you forward or sideways. When you encounter an opportunity, you sense whether it's aligned or just a shiny object. When you face content, you distinguish between nourishing and merely stimulating.
This muscle only develops through practice with real stakes. Every choice either strengthens or weakens your curation ability. Every decision to follow your actual priorities over your impulses builds the capacity to choose well when it matters most.
The abundance isn't the enemy—underdeveloped curation skills are. Once you build this muscle, infinite options become infinite raw material instead of infinite overwhelm.
Most people are still waiting for their circumstances to curate their lives. The people who thrive are the ones who have learned to curate themselves.
