What 5 Counterintuitive Things Can Help You Make Better Choices
You love having lots of choices. But having more choices isn't always a good thing  ever see so many good options that you end up picking nothing?, Barry Schwartz has spent a great deal of time researching this issue and in his excellent book The Paradox of Choice Why More Is Less he explains how we can make ourselves happier and more fulfilled by reducing choice. What are the 5 steps?, So what do these mean?, 1 We love choices. Research shows people prefer freedom and autonomy over money. But too much choice overwhelms us, leads to second guessing and makes us unhappy. But we rarely admit that. Having too many choices is stressful. Constraints help. 2 A maximizer is someone who researches, comparison shops and works hard to make sure they get the absolute very best. A satisficer is someone who is happy with good enough. Which is the better strategy? Maximizing may give better objective results  but makes us unhappier in the end. In most areas of life, settling produces more happiness. 3 Keeping your expectations under control is smart thinking. Optimism is good, but keep an even keel. Schwartz explains, Via The Paradox of Choice Why More Is Less, 4 We often want to leave our options open but that makes us prone to second guessing. We forget how powerful our ability to rationalize after the fact is and we fear regret. However, research shows when decisions are not reversible we adapt to them quicker, move on faster and are happier with our lives. 5 Comparing yourself to others can seriously reduce your happiness. Schwartz explains, Via The Paradox of Choice Why More Is Less, Lastly, something Schwartz mentions in the book really made me stop and think. He quotes Quarterlife Crisis The Unique Challenges of Life in Your Twenties saying, Being aware of that  all the time  is incredibly stressful. Paralyzing. Doesn't sound like a prescription for happiness to me. Join over 100,000 readers. Get a free weekly update via email here. Related posts, Here are the things that are proven to make you happier, Does creativity require freedom or constraints?, What's the main thing we can learn from Harvard happiness expert Daniel Gilbert?