Why does the saying “The more choices there are, the harder it is to decide” hold true?
“Why am I having such a hard time deciding…?” Café menus, video thumbnails, clothing sale sections. The more choices there are, the harder it is to decide—haven
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“Why am I having such a hard time deciding…?”
Café menus, video thumbnails, clothing sale sections.
The more choices there are, the harder it is to decide—haven’t you had that experience too?
Why Do We Struggle to Decide When Faced with Too Many Options?
This phenomenon is a psychological effect known as the “choice paradox”.
We tend to think that having more options means “greater freedom and higher satisfaction,” but it’s known that in reality, the opposite is true.
In 2000, a famous “jam experiment” conducted by Columbia University psychologist Sheena Iyengar and her team found that
the group presented with 24 types of jam—despite having more tasters—actually had a lower purchase rate than the group presented with just 6 types.
“Choosing” Places a Heavy Burden on the Brain
Making a choice isn’t just a matter of comparison.
It’s also about choosing one option = rejecting others.
When the number of options increases, our brains react in the following ways:
- The cognitive load of processing information increases
- The likelihood of regret (“Maybe I should have chosen that one”) rises
- We overthink the “right answer,” leading to delayed decision-making
As a result, we are more likely to end up in a state where we “can’t choose anything” or are left with “regret.”
Why Are People Today Exhausted by “Not Being Able to Choose”?
Modern society is a “flood of choices.”
- Products and services recommended on social media
- An endless stream of videos and music on streaming services
- Countless job listings, educational content, and life choices
While this environment is convenient, it also creates constant pressure to make the “better” choice.
This leads to what is known as “decision fatigue.”
3 Tips to Help When You “Can’t Decide”
To avoid being overwhelmed by the paradox of choice, the following mindset can be effective:
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“Better” Is Good Enough—Don’t Aim for “Best”
- There’s no such thing as a perfect choice. Adopt a mindset where an 80 out of 100 is good enough.
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Set a “Don’t Choose” Rule in Advance
- Example: Always choose the “top-left item” on the menu at a café, etc.
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Don’t blame yourself for being unable to choose
- Hesitation is “proof that you’re thinking.” Your brain is working normally.
In Conclusion | The “Power to Let Go” Might Be More Important Than the “Power to Choose”
Making a choice is also an act of clarifying your own “priorities” and “values.”
That’s precisely why it’s difficult and why we hesitate.
But don’t dwell on the options you didn’t choose.
That might just be the “ability to choose” needed to live comfortably in today’s world.