The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos How to Make Better Choices (with Barry Schwartz)
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Oct 6, 2025 
In this engaging discussion, psychologist Barry Schwartz, known for his insights into decision-making, unpacks the art of making better choices. He argues that life's big decisions shouldn't be reduced to mere calculations; instead, understanding your values and purpose is vital. Barry critiques the pitfalls of 'choice overload' and why applying strict rationality can mislead us. He emphasizes the importance of thoughtful reflection over mechanical calculations, especially for significant life choices like career and relationships.
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Too Many Choices Raise Expectations
- Modern abundance of options raises our standards and makes good results feel like failures.
- Barry Schwartz calls satisficing choosing 'good enough' to avoid endless optimization paralysis.
Rational Choice Fails For Life Decisions
- Rational choice theory treats life decisions like casino bets with quantifiable payoffs and probabilities.
- Schwartz argues most real-life choices are unlike gambles and resist precise quantification.
McNamara's Cost-Benefit Mistake
- Robert McNamara applied cost-benefit metrics to the Vietnam War and used casualties as a proxy for winning.
- That quantification drove harmful priorities and illustrates dangers of measuring the wrong things.
