The Art of Choosing - Sheena Iyengar

This was a topic I really looked forward to reading about because I'm terrible at making choices - can't pick shirts, shoes, nothing. Sheena is obviously very well-read and well researched, so she quotes from many sources and studies in a patient and gentle tone that helps us to understand the theory, principle and practice. To get her point across she goes into history, culture, biology, business, psychology and delves deep into why people choose the way they do. In her epilogue, she also explains how many readers have told her that the book is so deeply researched that it somehow confused them a bit about what exactly the art of choosing was all about - culture, psychology - what. Sheena responded to their feedback and explained the seven chapters briefly in the end which helped me integrate the many thoughts she shared.

    Sheena starts with wondering whether destiny, chance and choice contribute to where we end up in our lives. However, she says that choice alone gives us some level of control, the power to make the most of whatever comes our way through destiny and chance. And even when things go wrong, choice allows us to recover, survive and even thrive. Though some feel there's a greater force determining our lives, most find strength in the idea that we can design and construct our lives. We believe that choice allows us to be the architects of our future.

Clearly, humans are wired with the need for control and choice is a powerful way of exercising control. However, we all do not want the same choices or want choice in the same way because of our cultural backgrounds and personal experiences. People benefit from choice only when it enhances our sense of control. We need to be open to learning how others speak choice - and not assume that since we experience it a particular way, they will too. Culturally choice is spoken of differently.

Most also think of choice and freedom as being associated. We can choose to be free, to do our own thing. But then choices are also about who we are. We can find out more about why we behave in a particular way by using a 360-degree feedback system that may help us understand ourselves better. I also found this a very useful tool - to keep a "choice diary". Make entries of your most important choices. What you did and why you did etc.  The record will help you understand yourthoughts and behaviour better. It could help you become aware of your biases and rationalizations.

Though we have reasons for making choices we must realise there are other factors involved too. We must be aware that we may be avoiding making choices colored by outside limitations which might note the best strategy. Instead, we are better off focusing on becoming more aware of hidden biases and preferences which push us to make choices we might not approve of if we were conscious of our underlying motivations. (It helps to go through the Implicit Association Test (IAT) she says so take it)

It is known that having a large amount of choice is frustrating. To help you decide in such cases, 

1) Cut your options to a manageable number (seven plus or minus two is considered a manageable number of options to choose from)

2) Cultivate confidence in your choices by taking expert advice and personalised recommendations. 

3) Categorise choices available to you because it enables you to simulate expertise and see clearly.

4) Condition yourself by starting out with fewer and easier choices and build more complex choices as you get better. Gradually increase the challenge, you'll feel more confident, build skill and improve your performance in the long run.

Sheena sums it up beautifully when she says choice gives us permission to imagine a better self. It holds the promise that we can create that better self through our own volition. Choice is possibility. Choice, however, is not the answer to everything. We must acknowledge that we don't always know how to choose and that choice has its own limitations. Be choosy about choosing she say. Less choice is ok. Choosing not to choose is fine. 

Sheena says Choice is the responsibility of separating the meaningful from the trivial, the disheartening from the uplifting. We must focus on the choices that matter, The art of choosing she says finally is this - balancing hopes, desires, and an appreciation of the possibilities with a clear-eyed assessment of the limitations.

For those who want to hear it from her directly, here's her TED talk.

Very interesting book with a lot of research and experiments into why we choose the way we do. I did get lost in all the research and data and points she was making to build up the case but I liked the primary ideas of keeping a choice diary, becoming more aware of why we choose the way we do, knowing the cutting options helps choose better, getting expert advice and personalised recommendations, than relying on your rather unreliable choosing instinct, categorising choice to add clarity and to learn the process of choosing assiduously. Fine read.