Make up your mind

An expert helps choosy choosers choose more easily. Columbia Business School's Sheena Iyengar on The Power of Choice. During a recent visit to The Wharton School, Professor Iyengar stopped by the Knowledge at Wharton studio and taped this presentation on her research into choice.


The choices we make define us. But these days even picking, say a breakfast cereal can be overwhelming. Whole grain or multi grain? Oat Bran? Nut flakes Fiber? 


In her new book, The Art of choosing, Sheena Iyengar a Columbia University, New York Business Professor who was born blind, contemplates the ways choices can motivate, fustrate, paralyse and ultimately transform us. Her ideas for choosing easily, quickly, and smartly:

Choose not to choose
"When my husband and I go out to eat, I let him pick the resturant and even delegate him to decide what I should order. So much time is wasted in our culture on choices that dont matter. Letting someone make small decissions for you can be extremely liberating and gives my husband and me more time to focus on each other."


Ask for Help
"We cant be experts in everything, so do what you do best and call for professional for other things. I will devote myself completely to a new research study, for example.
But when it comes to choosing investments, let's say, or making important medical decissions, I'm much better listening to Warren Buffett or my doctor other than speculating on my own."


Use other as mirrors
"Its important to know how our family, friends, coleagues and strangers see us. These opinion can serve as reality check. By playing cose attention to how people react to our actions we can decide our behavior.- our choices - needs to change to better to align with how we would like to be percieved. The best way to start the process is to ask. As a blind person, I will ask friends do I look better in this color dress or that color? And the reactions help me shape my choices."


Set the clock
"Often the best way to make a decission when faced with a bewildering array of choices is to impose a time limit. If you are buying a new digital camera, you could spend all day pouring over websites and talking to friends about which one to buy. Or you could stop agonizing and say, I'm giving myself exactly 30 minutes to research this. That way you wont deplete your energies."


Go with 'Good Enough'
"Let's say you are buying tooth paste. There are always dozens of options and it is easy to get overhelmed. Here's the trick: Just pick one. It doesnt have to be the best or have most dazzling features. It needs to be good enough We call that satisfacting - being satisfied with whats sufficient.

It takes the pressure off."


Related Link
                      The Tyranny Of Choice