Just look at what the average Joe faces when looking for a headache remedy.

It goes on: will he pay with Visa, MasterCard or American Express (and which of the twelve or so he has in his wallet will he choose – the points one, the rebate one, the…)?

Will he Tweet about his experience, update his Facebook status or share a picture of the mess through Instagram?

And to recover from the shock, will he walk into Starbucks and order a coffee using six or more variables?

We love having choices.

But choices can overwhelm us.

We quickly become victims of “decision fatigue“.

We start to check out.

We become numb.

What does this mean for your brand?

It means that your brand needs to truly matter to people.

It has to have a degree of personal relevance and emotional importance that keeps it brightly shining on a person’s radar screen, no matter how many blips are competing for attention.

The secret is to rise above the micro-world of increasing (and ever-less meaningful) choice.

It’s to aim high and to seek a meaningful position in the hearts and minds of people.

It’s about connecting what is essentially good about you with what people are seeking.

To do this you need to understand that people are changing.

They are becoming more aware of themselves, their real desires and their responsibilities.

Once blindly following the pursuit of stuff, people are now opening their eyes, freeing their minds and listening to their hearts.

Brands that fail to recognize this will be victims of “decision fatigue” – they simply won’t matter enough to remain important to people.

On the other hand, brands that see people as they are and which relentlessly pursue a meaningful position in their minds and hearts, will rise above the fray.

It’s a simple choice for brands to make: meaningless or meaningful.