Sep 20, 2025
We often operate under a powerful assumption: to be successful, we must identify and choose the single best option available. This belief that success is contingent on a perfect choice can feel intuitive, but it is not necessarily true. If you find yourself doubting that, let me prove it to you.
First, let's assume the statement is true. If so, then its contrapositive must also be true: "If you are not successful, you did not choose the best choice." But we can immediately see this is flawed. You can still become successful by making a good choice; it doesn't have to be the absolute best. This means success is possible even without selecting the optimal option.
Now, consider a more nuanced proposition (one you might initially agree with): "If you choose the best choice, you will be the most successful." This, too, is unreliable. For example, choosing to work at Nokia in the early 2000s seemed like a brilliant career move, but it turned out poorly compared to choosing a then-riskier company like Apple.
This shows that the "best choice" is a moving target that changes continuously. What seems optimal at a specific moment may not be wise in the long run. Therefore, you can be successful without having chosen the best option.
This leads to a more extreme question: Can you be successful even if you choose the worst option? Surprisingly, the answer is sometimes yes. History provides examples, such as Socrates, who chose to die—the worst possible outcome—yet achieved a form of profound, lasting success through his sacrifice.
Does this mean that choosing is meaningless? Should we simply make decisions randomly? Again, the answer is no.
In some scenarios, choosing a worse option reliably leads to a worse outcome. For example, if you choose to eat cookies every day instead of apples, you will likely develop health issues like diabetes.
The difference lies in the effect and impact of your choice. The first scenario—eating cookies vs. apples every day—is a continuous choice, though the impact of each individual cookie you eat is small. (Remember: Eating a single cookie on a random day is neither good nor bad for your health.) However, every small action accumulates a compound impact over the long term, which can lead to catastrophic consequences like diabetes.
The second type of choice—opting to work at Nokia vs. Apple (back in the 2000s)—is a short-term one. While its impact may seem significant in the short run, it is relatively minor over the long term and lacks the most critical element: the compound effect.
From this, we can clearly identify one key insight: A single short-term choice with low long-term relevance has little bearing on your overall long-term success.
Yet in real life, truly disconnected choices are rare. Eating a cookie today, for example, raises the likelihood that you will eat another one tomorrow. Therefore, the strategy here should be: When faced with a choice, first figure out whether it is a short-term, isolated decision or a connected one—that is, a choice that will generate a compound impact over time. Exercise extra caution when making the latter type of choice. One practical trick is to ask yourself: “Would I want to repeat this choice every day? And can I accept the compound impact of sticking with this same small choice consistently?”
Another strategy is to shift your focus away from the act of choosing itself and instead prioritize your self-control, persistence, and hard work. These ongoing, consistent efforts are ultimately far more important than any single specific choice you make.
Finally, let’s circle back to the starting point of the question: Why do we choose?
We choose because we believe a certain path will improve our lives. However, the world changes rapidly, and it is unwise to be 100% certain in your beliefs. It is more effective to view a choice not as a final decision, but as an experiment—a try.
We also choose because the act itself makes us feel free and in control. This feeling can make us more excited, energized, and willing to take action.
So, the ultimate lesson we draw here is this: Don’t fixate on “choosing the best option.” Don’t pour excessive effort into short-term, disconnected choices. Instead, learn to commit to and nurture what you do choose. Channel your energy into the path you’ve selected—and as you invest in it, you will grow to value, even love, it. That love, in turn, will fuel more motivation and dedication, ultimately transforming your choice into the “best” one for you.