Enough With the Options!

It’s great to have some options. It’s overwhelming to have too many.

I’m a beer guy. While I am not above my home state’s favorite beverage, I love a hoppy IPA. Almost any bar in the US is going to have at least one. They often have more. Oftentimes many more. And more is not always a good thing.

Here’s the thing: I love a good IPA. I don’t need to choose from a beer list that spans multiple pages.

While having three options is better than one, that doesn’t mean that 30 options — let alone 300 — is better than three. It’s nice to have some choice, but it’s overwhelming to choose between too many options. 

The more options we have, the more options we do not choose — and the greater opportunity for regret. My enjoyment of a Bell’s Two Hearted Ale is diminished when thinking, “Should I have ordered a Lagunitas or Sierra Nevada instead?” 

We see something similar when making life decisions. It’s helpful to have some options from which to choose, but too many options can overwhelm us. At a certain point, we have to say, “Enough!”