--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The more choices we have, the greater the…" description: "\"The more choices we have, the greater the need for focus.\" — Tom Butler-Bowdon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e69/tom-butler-bowdon-32015_choices_the-more-choices-we-have-the-greater-the_3049315.png" --- # The more choices we have, the greater the need for focus. ![“The more choices we have, the greater the need for focus.” quote by Tom Butler-Bowdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e69/tom-butler-bowdon-32015_choices_the-more-choices-we-have-the-greater-the_3049315.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e69/tom-butler-bowdon-32015_choices_the-more-choices-we-have-the-greater-the_3049315.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e69/tom-butler-bowdon-32015_choices_the-more-choices-we-have-the-greater-the_3049315.png) > “The more choices we have, the greater the need for focus.” [Tom Butler-Bowdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-butler-bowdon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. More choices increase the need for selective focus to avoid overwhelm. **In simple terms:** Choices demand focus. Key Takeaway Cultivate selective attention. Themes choice focus overwhelm Mood analytical practical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - shopping - career decisions - information overload Key Concepts decision theory cognitive load Questions to Reflect On - How do you limit choices? - What criteria guide your focus? A Different Perspective Too many options can paralyze action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) ## Related quotes > [“Our lives are full of things. Disposable distractions, stuff you buy but do not cherish, own yet never love. Thrown away in weeks, rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-de-beers-family-of-companies/our-lives-are-full-of-things-disposable-distractions-stuff-you-buy/) The De Beers Family of Companies > [I'm sure at some point I will get back into coaching, but right now I need to focus completely on my kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ewing/i-m-sure-at-some-point-i-will-get-back-into-coaching-but-right-now-i/) [Patrick Ewing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ewing/) > [It would be considered a theft on our part if we didn't give to someone in greater need than we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/it-would-be-considered-a-theft-on-our-part-if-we-didn-t-give-to/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [Sometimes the need for mystery is greater than the need for an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/sometimes-the-need-for-mystery-is-greater-than-the-need-for-an-answer/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [“So maybe my need of you is greater than your need of me. But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to do everything in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-banks/so-maybe-my-need-of-you-is-greater-than-your-need-of-me-but-that/) [Maya Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-banks/) > [“The surest cure for loneliness, the quickest way to happiness, is found in this, a simple creed: Go serve someone in greater need.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/the-surest-cure-for-loneliness-the-quickest-way-to-happiness-is-found/) [William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) > [The world has never had a greater need for enlightened women and men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-world-has-never-had-a-greater-need-for-enlightened-women-and-men/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We know we need, and so we acquire and eat and eat, past the point of bodily fullness, trying to sate a greater need.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-hornbacher/we-know-we-need-and-so-we-acquire-and-eat-and-eat-past-the-point-of/) [Marya Hornbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-hornbacher/) > [Indeed, in view of its function, religion stands in greater need of a rational foundation of its ultimate principles than even the dogmas of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-iqbal/indeed-in-view-of-its-function-religion-stands-in-greater-need-of-a/) [Muhammad Iqbal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-iqbal/) > [“The higher you rise, the greater your need for advice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-w-carr/the-higher-you-rise-the-greater-your-need-for-advice/) [Patrick W. Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-w-carr/) > [The more complex the problems of the Nation become, the greater is the need for more and more advanced instruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hoover/the-more-complex-the-problems-of-the-nation-become-the-greater-is-the/) [Herbert Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hoover/) > [We must show charity towards the sick, who are in greater need of help. Let us take them some small gift if they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonsus-liguori/we-must-show-charity-towards-the-sick-who-are-in-greater-need-of-help/) [Alphonsus Liguori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonsus-liguori/) > [The need for mystery is greater than the need for an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/the-need-for-mystery-is-greater-than-the-need-for-an-answer/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [ Reflect that in reality you have a greater need to serve \[the poor\] than they have of your service. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merici/reflect-that-in-reality-you-have-a-greater-need-to-serve-the-poor/) [Angela Merici](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merici/) > [When any person suffers for someone in greater need, that person is a human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/when-any-person-suffers-for-someone-in-greater-need-that-person-is-a/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) ## More by Tom Butler-Bowdon > [We want everything in a hurry because our primary aim must be survival in the short term. Long term thinking has seemed like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-butler-bowdon/we-want-everything-in-a-hurry-because-our-primary-aim-must-be/) [Tom Butler-Bowdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-butler-bowdon/) > [Edward Banfield's idea of the "long time horizon," says that more successful people look further into the future, judging their efforts and results in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-butler-bowdon/edward-banfield-s-idea-of-the-long-time-horizon-says-that-more/) [Tom Butler-Bowdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-butler-bowdon/) > [This is the period from ages 60 to 90 in which many people have a new sense of freedom, kids grown up, retired from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-butler-bowdon/this-is-the-period-from-ages-60-to-90-in-which-many-people-have-a-new/) [Tom Butler-Bowdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-butler-bowdon/) > [“When the first force, social feeling and community expectation, is ignored or affronted, the person concerned will reveal certain aggressive character traits: vanity, ambition,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-butler-bowdon/when-the-first-force-social-feeling-and-community-expectation-is/) [Tom Butler-Bowdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-butler-bowdon/) > [With people having longer life spans, 50 is the age at which many people only just get into their stride. Consider Ray Kroc starting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-butler-bowdon/with-people-having-longer-life-spans-50-is-the-age-at-which-many/) [Tom Butler-Bowdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-butler-bowdon/) > [We are all living longer lives now, so this extra longevity gives us second, third or fourth chances to succeed at something or change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-butler-bowdon/we-are-all-living-longer-lives-now-so-this-extra-longevity-gives-us/) [Tom Butler-Bowdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-butler-bowdon/) > [Trust your intuition, rather than technology, to protect you from violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-butler-bowdon/trust-your-intuition-rather-than-technology-to-protect-you-from/) [Tom Butler-Bowdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-butler-bowdon/) > [Turning 40 is often a big symbolic point in one's life. In the 20s we feel we can do anything, but as the 30s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-butler-bowdon/turning-40-is-often-a-big-symbolic-point-in-one-s-life-in-the-20s-we/) [Tom Butler-Bowdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-butler-bowdon/) > [Anyone can get a job, but do you have a purpose?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-butler-bowdon/anyone-can-get-a-job-but-do-you-have-a-purpose/) [Tom Butler-Bowdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-butler-bowdon/) > [“The contribution of humanistic psychology to better relationships is recognized by the inclusion of Carl Rogers, whose influential book reminds us that relationships cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-butler-bowdon/the-contribution-of-humanistic-psychology-to-better-relationships-is/) [Tom Butler-Bowdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-butler-bowdon/) > [People race to achieve everything by a certain age in their life, be it 40, 50 or 60 - but with increasing life spans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-butler-bowdon/people-race-to-achieve-everything-by-a-certain-age-in-their-life-be/) [Tom Butler-Bowdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-butler-bowdon/) > [“What we think we lack determines what we will become in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-butler-bowdon/what-we-think-we-lack-determines-what-we-will-become-in-life/) [Tom Butler-Bowdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-butler-bowdon/) > [“Our communications are full of road clocks that prevents real communication with others. Two are "judging" and "sending solutions". With people close to us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-butler-bowdon/our-communications-are-full-of-road-clocks-that-prevents-real/) [Tom Butler-Bowdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-butler-bowdon/) > [Most of us cherish freedom, but when we actually get the opportunity to make our own way it can be terrifying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-butler-bowdon/most-of-us-cherish-freedom-but-when-we-actually-get-the-opportunity/) [Tom Butler-Bowdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-butler-bowdon/) > [Autobiography of a Yogi is justifiably celebrated as one of the most entertaining and enlightening spiritual books ever written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-butler-bowdon/autobiography-of-a-yogi-is-justifiably-celebrated-as-one-of-the-most/) [Tom Butler-Bowdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-butler-bowdon/) [Explore all 16 Tom Butler-Bowdon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-butler-bowdon/) ## More Choices quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) Alison James > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The more choices we have, the greater the need for focus.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Butler-Bowdon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-butler-bowdon/the-more-choices-we-have-the-greater-the-need-for-focus/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choices" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-butler-bowdon/the-more-choices-we-have-the-greater-the-need-for-focus/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e69/tom-butler-bowdon-32015_choices_the-more-choices-we-have-the-greater-the_3049315.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e69/tom-butler-bowdon-32015_choices_the-more-choices-we-have-the-greater-the_3049315.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e69/tom-butler-bowdon-32015_choices_the-more-choices-we-have-the-greater-the_3049315.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The more choices we have, the greater the need for focus.” — Tom Butler-Bowdon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tom Butler-Bowdon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-butler-bowdon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The more choices we have, the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-butler-bowdon/the-more-choices-we-have-the-greater-the-need-for-focus/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-butler-bowdon/the-more-choices-we-have-the-greater-the-need-for-focus/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```