It’s widely understood that people make decisions primarily based on emotion, then justify them retrospectively with logic and go on to explain the decision as if it had been made logically in the first place.
It’s worth noting that sometimes the emotional reason for a decision can be remarkably tiny. Very small criteria can be the tipping point for big decisions.
My cousin chose his university because he liked the smell of the Science building.
A colleague told me recently that he would have donated an organ had he not had to fill in one too many forms.
Someone else I know turned down an otherwise great apartment because she couldn’t bear to look at the pattern of the carpet coming out of the elevator.
I’m curious about your reaction to these examples. It likely includes a mixture of “That’s ridiculous!” to “That rings completely true!”
If you are facing a decision that has you stuck weighing heavy criteria, consider paying attention to the factors that seem almost too small to matter. I suspect you know they have an outsized importance — and for you, that’s important.
And if you are someone trying to influence others’ decisions, it’s worth eliminating the friction of small details (or picking attractive carpet!)