Tough Decision Looming? Jelly Bean Research Says: “Don’t Think It Over”

Think of a decision you’re struggling with. It could be choosing a new computer, deciding a career direction, or something completely different.

Now, go to this page and spend five minutes solving a Rubick’s cube. Don’t worry, I’ll wait.

Are you back? Okay, good.

Now, about that tough decision: Which option seems the best fit now? That’s the one you should choose.

Really? How can it be? You didn’t torment yourself for hours weighing the pros and cons. You didn’t build a spreadsheet to capture all the little details. You didn’t poll your friends and family to see what they thought.

You did none of those brain draining things that’s all too normal when a tough decision presents itself, but, according to a pair of psychological studies from the Kellogg School of Management, you just—statistically speaking—identified the best possible choice.

The More You Think, The Less You Know What You Want

Say you’re shopping for an engagement ring (a task I’m now intimately familiar with). I show you five different rings and ask you not just to pick your favorite, but explain why you like it. A half hour later, I run you through the same exercise.

You’ll pick the same ring and have the same explanation, right?

Maybe not.

Two researchers collaborating from Illinois and The Netherlands performed exactly this test to learn about how people form their preferences. Instead of shoppers, they studied college students. And, instead of engagement rings, they used jelly beans.

The findings were astonishing. Students asked to create a rationale for their choice were also the most likely to change their mind when asked the same question just 40 minutes later.

The students who picked one without thinking? Consistency!

The same researchers performed another experiment asking subjects to choose between apartments based on nine different criteria. They got the same results; people who spent less time thinking chose more consistently.

Seems counterintuitive, but it makes sense. The more you deliberate, the more variables you allow to distort your perception. Your current mood, what you’ve eaten, how your morning went, or any other number of things will change your decision.

But when you choose quickly and decisively, you don’t give those variables time to color your decision. Instead, you bypass them and go directly to your more fundamental preferences. And that’s better over the long-term.

For instance, the real estate market is really tight here in Portland; there’s competition for every home. If you want a place to live, let alone one you’ll be satisfied with for a long time, you’ll do yourself a favor by spending less time thinking so hard about which one you like.

The More You Think, The Worse You Choose

So, about the Rubick’s Cube I made you play with earlier: it wasn’t just for fun. It was to better all the big decisions you’ll make in life.

The same researchers mentioned earlier were curious if thinking too much was getting in the way of making measurably better decisions—not just preferences.

So, they devised another test. This time, they’d split participants into two groups and ask them to rate a car’s quality based on a number of clear and measurable attributes (gas mileage, amount of leg room, etc.).

Half the group was asked to think carefully about the car’s variables, then rank them. The other half was asked to solve word puzzles for a few minutes, then rank the cars.

The results? Almost unbelievable.

When the cars had only a few, simple variables to consider, deliberating did help identify the best ones. But as the features became more numerous and complex, the group forced to solve word puzzles and not deliberate over features performed better and better.

Seems crazy, but you can probably relate to the findings when you… well… think about it.

Try to remember a time you were faced with a tough decision. There were many variables to consider, and your choice would have a drastic effect on your life. You thought long and hard. Went back and forth. Asked friends. Did research. Then, you decided just in time. But looking back, you can see you missed some important points and perhaps didn’t make the best choice.

Now, think of a similar situation when, instead of wringing your hands over the details, you went for a walk, played with your kids, or did anything else to distract yourself from the decision. Maybe you even went on vacation. When you came back to the problem, the answer was obvious.

It’s not just your imagination! Thinking less helps you pick measurably better outcomes in your life.

Think of the two approaches—conscious and unconscious decision making—like searching a dark room with a spotlight vs. a nightlight. Making a decision with your unconscious mind is like using a nightlight. The room is dim, but everything is illuminated. You’re able to see and consider all the different aspects of your decision.

Using your conscious mind is more like searching with a spotlight. You light one, small area very brightly, but other important areas go unseen.

Do This In The Next 10 Minutes

Maybe you’re getting ready to buy a house or a car or something else big. Maybe you’re trying to pick a career or decide to get married or have children. Maybe you’re just having trouble deciding where to go on vacation.

Whatever big decision is in front of you now, the science is in: to make the best choice—not just for you personally, but the measurably better decision, you have to cut your brain some slack.

Before you decide, take a walk around the block. Play with your kids. Solve a Rubick’s Cube.

Whatever you do, distract yourself from the decision for at least a little while. When you come back, you’ll know just what to do.

Additional Sources:
The Downside of Deliberating
Too Conscious to Decide?