The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less

Whether we're buying a pair of jeans, ordering a cup of coffee, selecting a long-distance carrier, applying to college, choosing a doctor, or setting up a 401(k), everyday decisions—both big and small—have become increasingly complex due to the overwhelming abundance of choice with which we are presented.

As Americans, we assume that more choice means better options and greater satisfaction. But beware of excessive choice: choice overload can make you question the decisions you make before you even make them, it can set you up for unrealistically high expectations, and it can make you blame yourself for any and all failures. In the long run, this can lead to decision-making paralysis, anxiety, and perpetual stress. And, in a culture that tells us that there is no excuse for falling short of perfection when your options are limitless, too much choice can lead to clinical depression.

In The Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz explains at what point choice—the hallmark of individual freedom and self-determination that we so cherish—becomes detrimental to our psychological and emotional well-being. In accessible, engaging, and anecdotal prose, Schwartz shows how the dramatic explosion in choice—from the mundane to the profound challenges of balancing career, family, and individual needs—has paradoxically become a problem instead of a solution. Schwartz also shows how our obsession with choice encourages us to seek that which makes us feel worse.

By synthesizing current research in the social sciences, Schwartz makes the counter intuitive case that eliminating choices can greatly reduce the stress, anxiety, and busyness of our lives. He offers eleven practical steps on how to limit choices to a manageable number, have the discipline to focus on those that are important and ignore the rest, and ultimately derive greater satisfaction from the choices you have to make.

Whether we're buying a pair of jeans, ordering a cup of coffee, selecting a long-distance carrier, applying to college, choosing a doctor, or setting up a 401(k), everyday decisions—both big and small—have become increasingly complex due to the overwhelming abundance of choice with which we are presented.

As Americans, we assume that more choice means better options and greater satisfaction. But beware of excessive choice: choice overload can make you question the decisions you make before you even make them, it can set you up for unrealistically high expectations, and it can make you blame yourself for any and all failures. In the long run, this can lead to decision-making paralysis, anxiety, and perpetual stress. And, in a culture that tells us that there is no excuse for falling short of perfection when your options are limitless, too much choice can lead to clinical depression.

In The Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz explains at what point choice—the hallmark of individual freedom and self-determination that we so cherish—becomes detrimental to our psychological and emotional well-being. In accessible, engaging, and anecdotal prose, Schwartz shows how the dramatic explosion in choice—from the mundane to the profound challenges of balancing career, family, and individual needs—has paradoxically become a problem instead of a solution. Schwartz also shows how our obsession with choice encourages us to seek that which makes us feel worse.

By synthesizing current research in the social sciences, Schwartz makes the counter intuitive case that eliminating choices can greatly reduce the stress, anxiety, and busyness of our lives. He offers eleven practical steps on how to limit choices to a manageable number, have the discipline to focus on those that are important and ignore the rest, and ultimately derive greater satisfaction from the choices you have to make.

“In this revolutionary and beautifully reasoned book, Barry Schwartz shows that there is vastly too much choice in the modern world. This promiscuous amount of choice renders the consumer helpless and dissatisfied. The Paradox of Choice is a must read for every thoughtful person.” - Martin Seligman, author of Learned Optimism and Authentic Happiness

“Schwartz has plenty of insightful things to say about the perils of everyday life.” - Booklist

“This book is valuable in two ways. It argues persuasively that most of us would often be better off with fewer options, and that many of us try too hard to make the best choices. While making its case, the book also provides an engaging introduction to current psychological research on choice and on well-being.” - Daniel Kahneman, 2002 Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences, Eugene Higgins Professor of Psychology and Professor of Public Affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University

“Wonderfully readable.” - Washington Post

“Schwartz lays out a convincing argument.... [He] is a crisp, engaging writer with an excellent sense of pace.” - Austin American-Statesman

“Schwartz offers helpful suggestions of how we can manage our world of overwhelming choices.” - St. Petersburg Times

“With its clever analysis, buttressed by sage New Yorker cartoons, The Paradox of Choice is persuasive.” - BusinessWeek

“Schwartz chronicles well how our choices have expanded, how our demands for perfection have increased and how we suffer as a result.” - St. Petersburg Times

“An insightful study that winningly argues its subtitle.” - Philadelphia Inquirer

“Brilliant.... The case Schwartz makes... is compelling, the implications disturbing.... An insightful book.” - Christian Science Monitor

“In The Paradox of Choice, Schwartz lays out a convincing argument that choice is one good thing that we’ve got entirely too much of…. Schwartz doesn’t expect the reader to take anything on faith, and he carefully builds his argument piece by piece, rendering his conclusions all the more devastating…. One of the book’s signal strengths is Schwartz’s writing style, which might be described as intelligently conversational. Similarly, his low-key presentation of his thesis is all the more convincing for its unassuming nature.” - Austin American-Statesman