The amazing thing about choice is how we all crave it. We need it. It’s all about control, and the less choice we have, the less we feel in control. The amazing thing is though, that we also fear choice, because with it comes responsibility.
It’s a weird quirk of human nature that whilst we crave and demand choice, when we have it, we often procrastinate and delay making a decision. Why? Well, sometimes it’s because we have too much choice. If we have a choice between A and B, that’s fairly straight forward. We always aim to make the right decision, and the flip side of that is avoiding making the wrong decision. So with greater choice, comes apathy driven by a fear of making the wrong decision.
This knowledge will help us make our own decisions, and also help us when offering choices to other people. Increasing the number of options confuses the decision maker, leads to fear of making the wrong decision, and ultimately leads to apathy. Limit the number of options, and we increase the likelihood of a decision. This true of every decision we make. Retailers have found that increasing the number of samples offered to consumers actually damages sales as consumers give in to confusion.
So yes, we love choice. We need, want, and crave it. We need to feel that we are in control. Take control. Limit your options; make decision making easy, and enjoy the fruits of your skills!
