If you’ve ever been to The Cheesecake Factory, you know they have a 21-page menu with 250 items.

That’s a lot to choose from.

Too much, if you ask me.

This is the paradox of choice, which suggests that the more options we have, the less satisfied we feel with our decision

I’ve written about this very idea before, over 10 years ago.

Psychologist Barry Schwartz wrote an entire book about it.

The subtitle of his book is “Why More is Less.”

Learning to choose is hard. Learning to choose well is harder. And learning to choose well in a world of unlimited possibilities is harder still, perhaps too hard.  – Barry Schwartz

Here’s a good overview of Schwartz’s book.

Whether you’re sitting down for a meal at The Cheesecake Factory, figuring out what to watch on Netflix, or making financial planning decisions, more choice isn’t always as appetizing as it may seem.