When Too Many Books Lead to Reading Regrets

Hey friends👋,

I purchased seven books that I had always wanted to read. However, since buying them, I have only managed to complete around 100 pages of one book before losing interest. I then started reading the second book, but at a very slow pace.

What could have happened? Why am I not enjoying these books as much as I had anticipated?

I have two theories to explain this phenomenon, one is the Paradox of Choice and the other stemming from the book Atomic Habits.

The concept of the Paradox of Choice was introduced by American psychologist Barry Schwartz in his book, "The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less," published in 2004.

According to Schwartz, when faced with numerous options, we tend to experience decision paralysis and find it increasingly difficult to make a choice. In other words, having more choices can actually hinder our decision-making process and lead to less satisfaction. This is known as "decision paralysis."

We often believe that having more choices will allow us to find the perfect product or experience, but in reality, having fewer choices can offer us more mental freedom and contentment.

In the context of my example, when I entered the bookstore, I felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of my favorite books available. I spent half an hour contemplating in front of the bookshelves, unable to decide which book to purchase. Even after buying the seven books I had always wanted to read, I felt a sense of dissatisfaction because I couldn't acquire all the other options I desired.

The second theory revolves around the concept of "dopamine-driven feedback," as described in the book "Atomic Habits." It states that “dopamine is not only released when we experience pleasure but also when we anticipate it. For instance, gambling addicts experience a dopamine spike just before placing a bet, rather than after winning.”

In my case, when I decided to buy the books and doing the action of actually buying, I felt a surge of excitement, and my dopamine levels were high. However, when I actually started reading the books, the dopamine levels returned to normal, resulting in a decreased level of enjoyment.

This is also the underlying reason behind impulsive purchases that often result in later regrets.

If you have ever embarked on a new learning or creative endeavor and initially felt enthusiastic, only to later find your excitement waning, now you have a possible explanation for why this happens.

See you next week,

Aryan Zaveri.