A famous psychologist, Barry Schwartz, proposed the paradox of choice: the more options we have, the more anxious we become, and ironically, the less likely we are to make any decision at all. When faced with too many choices, confusion sets in and decision-making becomes paralysed.
While this is experienced as true, one should not forget that the freedom of choice is a glory of a human being. Only humans can wake up in the morning and consciously decide between a cutlet or an omelette for breakfast. A cow cannot exercise such freedom. So how did we transform one of our greatest strengths into a crippling weakness?
We become too concerned with the outcomes. We become overly concerned about the results of our choices, trapped in endless "what if" scenarios. What if my choice is wrong? What if the other option is better? In this mental spiral, we forget a fundamental truth: making any choice is better than making none at all. Life rewards action, not speculation. You receive rewards for what you do, not for what you endlessly contemplate.
How, then, do we handle the anxiety arising from this paradox of choice? The answer lies in the Karma Yoga teachings of the Bhagavad Gita.
You exercise your freedom of choice based on your priorities and values, then surrender the results to the Lord. All outcomes ultimately come from the Lord. Once we accept this truth with good grace, a big change occurs. In India, anything received from the Lord is considered prasada, which is always received with glad acceptance, never with resistance or anxiety.
When we cultivate this sense of devotion, we naturally accept the results of our actions—actions based on choices we've consciously made—as prasāda from the Lord. With this perspective, anxiety practically vanishes.
This is how we reclaim our freedom of choice as the divine gift it was meant to be, rather than allowing it to degenerate into a source of weakness and paralysis. The freedom remains the same; only our relationship with the outcomes transforms, restoring choice to its rightful place as a uniquely human glory.
The writer is the founder of Aarsha Vidya Foundation. You can write to him at aarshavidyaf@gmail.com
