In philosophy, decisions are hardened by saying that there are no other options.

Also in war. In Japanese prisoner of war camps in WWII (I have heard) they would take an officer captured along with his men, line the men up, and make the officer choose one. That one, they would shoot. If he refused to choose, they would shoot all of them.

It takes overwhelming force to cut off all other options from a hard problem, but not unattainable force.