The Entropy Theory of Everyday Decisions

Most people think choices happen in the moment. You pick this or that, yes or no, now or later. But, physics says something different. Physics tells us that every tiny action changes the entire system around it in ways we cannot totally see.

In thermodynamics there is something called entropy, which is basically the measure of disordered. The Nobel Prize Committee once described entropy as the way energy naturally spreads out unless something is intentionally stopping it. In other words, the universe does not drift towards structure. It drifts toward mess, unless we choose to direct it.

So, you might be wondering, what does this have to do with us saying no to something risky, or saying yes to something that moves us forward?

Well, choice is the force that pushes back against mental entropy.

Your day is not just something you move through, but rather a system you influence. If you stay positive, the natural direction is drift. Your mind slips into the easiest patterns instead of what’s best. Disorder rises, not because you are weak, but because that is simply how systems behave when nothing pushes back.

But, the moment you make a deliberate choice – even a small one – you drop energy back into your system and suddenly the path changes. One intentional moment becomes a hinge that redirects everything else.

Physicist Arthur Eddington once said that if your theory goes against the law of entropy, it will not survive. Choices Over Consequences is basically the opposite idea. If your actions go against entropy you will survive, grow, and move. Additionally, Psychologist Roy Baumeister’s work on self control found that it operates like a limited resource, and it drains throughout the day as we resist impulses or make decisions. But, the deeper truth is this: self control uses energy because it is actively fighting the system’s natural slide toward disorder. These studies show that when people exert self control, their cognitive resources temporarily descrease. But, when they make intentional choices early, later choices become easier. This is due to the fact that early structure reduces later entropy.

So, every choice you make – all of them – is a way of lowering your entropy of your own life. It is not about perfect, or toughness, or pretending everything is easy. It is about recognizing that you have the power to add energy back into your day whenever you decide to.

You cannot stop the universe from drifting, but you can stop yourself from drifting with it. Every time you choose intention over impulse, you bend the future in your favor.

Sources:

• Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Muraven, M., & Tice, D. M. (1998). Ego depletion: Is the active self a limited resource? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74(5), 1252–1265.
• Muraven, M., & Baumeister, R. F. (2000). Self regulation and depletion of limited resources: Does self control resemble a muscle? Psychological Bulletin, 126(2), 247–259.
• Eddington, A. (1928). The Nature of the Physical World. Cambridge University Press.