Title The Paradox of Choice
Author Barry Schwartz
Year Published 2004
Kind of Book Psychology/Self-Help
How strongly I recommend it 8/10
My Impressions This is one of those books that contains a very powerful idea, 'more choice doesn't always lead to more happiness. In fact, often the opposite is the case.' I did feel I could have gotten all of the value from this book by watching a 20 minute TED talk though. No need for a 200 page book.
Date Read circa 2017
What question is the author trying to answer?
Practical Takeaways
When considering options only focus on the opportunity costs of the first two options, not all of your options
Make more irreversible decisions
Embrace voluntary constraints of your freedom
Seek what is 'good enough' instead of the best
Lower your expectations about the results of decisions you make
Pay less attention to what everyone else is doing
Keep wonderful experience rare. No matter what you can afford, make certain things a special treat.
Big Ideas
It is NOT true that the more choices a person has the more well-being they have
In fact
Sometimes having too many choices can lead to less well-being in a person
If you limit the number of options you consider when making a choice, you will have more time available for what's important in your life
When people have no choices, life is unbearable
on the other hand
The fact that some choices is good doesn’t necessarily mean that more choice is better.
People are less happy when their decisions are reversible
People regret the things they don’t do more than the things they do do
We probably can do more to affect the quality of our lives by controlling expectations than we can by doing virtually anything else
Unknown Terms
Maximizer: People who are out for the best choice. They have more trouble choosing and are less satisfied with their choices and with their lives in general. They feel that the only way to know what choice is best is by examining all the options.
Satisfier: people who are out for 'good enough'
Opportunity Cost: the costs of any option involves passing up the opportunities that a different option would have afforded.