How Many Decisions Do We Make Each Day?

Picture of Omer Lewinsohn

Omer Lewinsohn

I have to be honest—I wasn’t planning to write about this topic. I just needed a quick number for another article, but as I started digging, I realized it opened a box worth exploring. Have you ever wondered how many decisions you make every day? Think about it— from the moment you wake up, you’re making choices: what to wear, what to eat, what to say, what to text, and even who to vote for.

The number of decisions we make daily is often cited as a shocking 35,000. But is that number real? Or is it just another internet myth that got repeated so many times it became “fact”?

The Myth About “35000 Decisions Each Day”

If you Google the question, you’ll find many sources claiming we make 35,000 “remotely conscious” decisions per day. Others cite a much smaller figure—122 “informed decisions” per day.

Even The Decision Lab, a well-respected behavioral science website, prominently displays the 35,000 number on their homepage. Harvard Business School has also referenced this figure, linking back to articles from Psychology Today and INC.

But where does this number come from?

The source of the number – Is it real?

After spending hours digging into academic research, I found that this number originates from an opinion article—not a scientific study. The claim was made by Jim Sollisch in a 2016 Wall Street Journal article, but there was no actual research to back it up.

Despite this, the figure spread like wildfire. It has been cited by journalists, consultants, and even business schools. But without clear research behind it, can we trust it?

The Critique and Truth – How Many Decisions Do We Really Make a Day?

Some experts have pushed back on this number. For example, Eva M. Krockow, a psychology researcher, wrote in Psychology Today:

“Does this enormous figure really hold up? You just spent about 50 seconds reading the first paragraphs of this blog. In theory, you should have made 25 decisions since choosing to give this post a try. In reality, that number seems counterintuitive if not outright silly.”

I agree with her.

I don’t think Jim Sollisch or any other reputable source deliberately faked the number. But I do believe the definition of “decision-making” used in these discussions is different from what most people think when they ask, “How many decisions do we make per day?”

So, How Many Decisions Do We Really Make?

A more recent study by Noom.com, which was widely cited across the web, claimed that people make 122 “informed decisions” per day—a number that seems far more realistic than the 35,000 claim.

This study also revealed:

  • 76% of people change their minds about what to eat for lunch or dinner.
  • 80% of people struggle to decide what to watch on TV.
  • 41% of people feel guilty about making impulsive decisions.

Additionally, a separate study estimated that we make around 200 food-related decisions daily—which sounds reasonable considering how often we think about meals, snacks, and drinks.

So What’s the Real Number?

Nobody knows.

But the real question is: Does it even matter?

Yes, we love statistics. Yes, research is important. But defining what counts as a “decision” is incredibly difficult. Are micro-decisions—like choosing whether to take a sip of water—counted? What about subconscious choices?

Regardless of whether the number is 122 or 35,000, the key takeaway is this:

👉 Humans make countless decisions every day.

👉 If you can influence even 1% of those decisions—whether as a business owner, marketer, leader, or parent—you hold immense power.

Rather than obsessing over the number, focus on understanding how decision-making works. Learn about cognitive biases, decision fatigue, and behavioral economics.

Final Thoughts: Forget the Number, Focus on the Power

While the internet will continue to debate the number of decisions we make daily, the real value lies in understanding how we make those decisions—and how to improve them.

If you’re in business, sales, marketing, or leadership, mastering decision psychology is far more valuable than knowing whether the number is 35,000 or 122.

So next time you find yourself making a decision, pause and think:
What’s really influencing my choice?

References & Further Reading

For those interested in reading more about the 35,000 decision myth, check out the following sources:

And you can find this great discussion about the topic here.

Picture of Omer Lewinsohn

Omer Lewinsohn

online entrepreneur with a passion for understanding the why behind human behavior in the digital world.