What makes a choice difficult, and why do we make mistakes so often? In order to make a decision, we require just the right amount of information. On one hand, if we have too little, then we lack the knowledge to make a weighted judgment. On the other hand, if we have too much information, we tend to overthink and overcomplicate things. Either way, this leads to wrong assumptions and miscalculated consequences. As a result, our decisions are not always the best.

Let’s say you walk into your favorite coffee shop, and the barista asks for your order. Chances are, you’ll decide quite quickly. You know that you don’t like cream in your coffee, but a simple espresso will give you too much of a rush, so you’ll probably order a long black and call it a day. You have all the information you need to make a rational decision here.

Another example is when you walk into a car dealership knowing nearly nothing about cars. There are so many models to choose from, each with its own specifications, pros, and cons. Sales assistants are always ready to help but will likely try to upsell you. Chances are you'll leave the dealership with a car twice the size and three times the price of what you originally planned. Why? Because you didn’t have all the information necessary to make a rational decision.

It's also important to realize that we are much more likely to make a poor choice when the reward is delayed. Think of learning a new skill, exercising, or sticking to a diet. These are the so-called *investment goods*. Basically, the choices we must make and the rewards we get from them are separated in time. This means we must make the effort now, but the positive consequences will come later. Due to the lack of immediate gratification, many people do too little or even completely stray away from investment goods.

On the other side of the spectrum are what we can call *sinful goods*. These choices feel good at the moment but harm us in the long run. Think alcohol, smoking, or overeating. Even though we realize the negative consequences, we still make bad decisions in favor of momentary pleasure. So, it’s safe to say that simply having enough information to make the right choice doesn’t ensure that we'll follow through with it.