This chapter in Predictably Irrational is called "Keeping Doors Open." It's a chapter about the fact that people tend to avoid closing the doors on our alternate choices for as long as we can. Areily's economics experiments showed that when people have many, many options to choose from, it is actually less economically beneficial for them because they end up running back and forth between options rather than commiting and going with one. It happens in purchasing decisions, decisions concerning a mate, and many other areas of life. We waste time running back and forth between our range of choices rather than simply commiting, and reaping the benefits of the choice we've made! And that's irrational. "We have an irrational compulsion to keep doors open," Ariely says.
He suggests that when we get into that trap of running back and forth between open doors, we need to start consciously closing some of those doors of the time, economic, spiritual, and emotional suckers in our lives. He says keeping those options open is hurting us rather than helping us. They draw us away from the stuff that's really important.
I think this idea is pretty important when it comes to church ministry. There will always be great ideas that people offer, and many of those are important, passionate, and spirit-filled ideas that could help people. But in deciding who we want to be as a church, we have to make tough choices by closing certain doors and commiting to other doors that we find to be more beneficial.
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