The paradox of choice: 5 ways highly successful people deliberately limit their daily decisions

We live in a world overflowing with choices. From what to wear in the morning to what to eat for dinner, the sheer number of decisions we make each day can be exhausting.

Psychologists call this decision fatigue, and it’s one of the hidden reasons so many of us feel drained before we even get to the important parts of our day.

The funny thing? Highly successful people aren’t making more decisions than the rest of us.

They’re actually making fewer. They deliberately cut down their daily choices, saving energy for the things that really move the needle in their lives.

Let’s look at how they do it—and how you can, too.

1. They simplify their wardrobe

Ever notice how Steve Jobs was always in that black turtleneck and jeans? Or how Mark Zuckerberg sticks to gray t-shirts and hoodies? These aren’t accidents—they’re strategies.

By wearing the same thing every day, they remove one unnecessary choice from their mornings.

Clothes may not seem like a big deal, but the point is to protect mental energy. The World Economic Forum has highlighted that “Willpower is like a muscle that becomes fatigued from overuse”. If you waste it on debating outfits, you’ve got less left for building companies, closing deals, or writing books.

Personally, I’m not about to wear the same outfit every day—I like food and fashion too much to live without variety. But I do have a handful of go-to staples I know I look good in. That way, when I’m rushing out the door, I don’t spiral into a 20-minute closet crisis.

2. They build consistent routines

If you look at the daily habits of top performers, they’re often incredibly predictable. Wake up early. Exercise. Eat the same breakfast. Start work with the same ritual.

Think of it like mise en place (everything in its place) in a kitchen. Chefs don’t decide where to put the knives, pans, and spices every day—they set it up the same way so they can work fast and consistently. Highly successful people treat their lives the same way.

When I was working in hospitality, I noticed how much smoother service ran when routines were locked in. The bartenders who had everything laid out in muscle memory could fly through orders without wasting mental energy.

Life works the same way: fewer micro-decisions, more space for the big ones.

3. They limit their options on purpose

We’ve been taught to think more choice equals more freedom.

But if you’ve ever stared at a restaurant menu with 100 options, you know that too much choice is stressful. That’s the paradox of choice: more options often lead to less satisfaction.

Successful people understand this. They consciously limit their options so they can act faster.

Jeff Bezos famously said that most decisions should be made with around 70% of the information you wish you had. Waiting for 100%—or endlessly debating options—just wastes time.

By cutting down choices, you create space for what truly matters.

I started applying this when I was trying to eat healthier. Instead of researching recipes for hours, I just rotate through a few solid breakfasts and lunches I know I like. The fewer decisions I make about food, the more consistent my diet—and the less drained I feel by 2 p.m.

4. They delegate decisions

Here’s the truth: you don’t need to make every decision yourself. In fact, insisting on it can hold you back. Successful people know when to hand decisions off to others.

This doesn’t mean they’re lazy. It means they’re selective. They recognize that their attention is the most valuable resource they have. If someone else can make a call at 90% of the quality they would, it’s often worth letting them do it.

Think about leaders like Warren Buffett or Richard Branson. They don’t run every detail of their businesses. They hire smart people, delegate decisions, and keep their own attention on the big strategic calls only they can make.

In my own life, I’ve found this in smaller ways. I used to spend ages hunting for the “perfect” flight or hotel deal. Now, I just set a few preferences and book the first option that fits. Sometimes delegating doesn’t mean handing it to another person—it means handing it to a system or rule you trust.

5. They automate where possible

Finally, highly successful people cut down decisions by using automation. From automatic savings and bill payments to meal delivery services and calendar scheduling, they let systems handle the repetitive stuff.

Why? Because every time you remove a decision, you free up energy for something that actually matters.

Automation doesn’t just save time—it reduces friction. And friction is what often kills our momentum.

If you have to think about whether to transfer money into your savings each month, chances are you’ll forget or talk yourself out of it. If it’s automatic, it just happens.

I use this with workouts. Instead of deciding each day if I feel like going to the gym, I’ve set up a fixed schedule: Monday, Wednesday, Friday. No debate. It’s just part of the system, like brushing my teeth.

And when you combine automation with consistent routines, you’re basically building an environment where success happens almost by default.

The bottom line

The paradox of choice is real: the more decisions you face, the less energy you have to make the ones that matter.

That’s why successful people don’t chase endless options. They limit, simplify, delegate, and automate. They save their willpower for the big decisions that actually move their lives forward.

You don’t need to overhaul your whole life to benefit from this. Start small: pick a go-to breakfast, set up an automatic transfer to savings, or create a consistent morning routine. The fewer unnecessary decisions you make, the more energy you’ll have for the things that truly count.

And maybe that’s the ultimate lesson here: freedom isn’t about having every choice available to you. It’s about building systems that give you the space and clarity to choose what matters most.