Your brain blocks
when there is too much choice
The paradox of choosing
Choices must be made throughout the day. The number of choices is growing, but so is the variety. More choice should give you more freedom, right? It works just a little differently. Abundance sometimes paralyzes. You put off choices or become paralyzed and avoid them altogether. This creates choice stress: you become overwhelmed with information or fear making the wrong choice. In extreme cases, that stress can contribute to exhaustion or even burnout. Not being paralyzed by that choice stress requires a clear approach that makes choosing lighter.
Satisficer or Maximizer?
Choices are made in different ways. Psychologist Barry Schwartz, in his book The Paradox of Choice, calls both Satisficers and Maximizers.
- Satisficers maintain a clear standard. Once an option is satisfactory, they choose it.
- Maximizers compare everything. They search for the perfect choice, so the process eats up time and doubt grows.
Which role you take depends on the value of the decision. With groceries, the Satisficer role works fine. With a large purchase, such as a car, a person is quick to use the behavior of a Maximizer. The more at stake, the more the tendency arises to figure everything out.
Consciously choosing which role fits the situation saves time and energy. After all, not every choice deserves extensive analysis.
Choice and priorities
Your brain can only process a limited number of decisions. That’s why it works better to organize choices. Ask yourself why a choice is necessary and what impact it will have. Only then determine where the priority lies.
With a career switch, it works the same way. Why do you want to change jobs? What gives you energy? What is holding you back? By answering those questions, you create clarity for yourself. The question of choice becomes concrete and the risk of making the wrong decision decreases.
How to choose
Choosing works best when you base decisions on your own goals, not on expectations of others. Emotions play a role in this, but don’t base a choice on emotion alone. Intuition and reason complement each other. By using both, you make a balanced decision that is both logical and personally sound. This significantly reduces the chance of making a “wrong choice.
Making wrong choices is allowed
Mistakes are part of growth. A choice is rarely final. Many decisions can be adjusted or refined. Even a mistake provides value: you know from now on what doesn’t work. That makes future choices clearer.
Choice made
After choosing, doubt sometimes arises. Let it go. You have made the decision and thereby created movement. That is gain in itself. Each choice makes the next one easier.
Want to learn to choose more consciously and effectively? Then check out our training course The Art of Choosing.
