Many of us have desires: to have a startup or a YouTube channel, to get rich by investing money, or to go on a vacation. We think about the desire a lot, but never get around to working on it. Or we start, but stop in almost no time.
The reason? Overwhelm. We conduct extensive research because we want the most out of our choices, we agonize over the process, and go back and forth over decisions… until we get stuck in analysis paralysis. And the more incomplete tasks circulate in our heads, the unhappier we feel.
Such people are called maximizers. (And most of us are like this.)
Then there are people whom economist Herbert Simon called satisficers. They don’t make the ‘best’ choice; just the ones that fulfill their needs.
They use the same phone for years because it does the job, they prefer the same dish when they eat outside. And when in doubt over what to buy, they just ask a knowledgeable friend and go ahead with that choice.
The ideal life is striking a right balance between maximizing and satisficing. Be a maximizer while figuring out what you want—in your profession or in a partner. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman puts it like this:
I am willing to take as much time as needed between projects to find my next thing. But I always want it to be a project that, if successful, will make the rest of my career look like a footnote.
Once you’ve identified what to do, turn into a satisficer. Decide your benchmark of good, and work to achieve it to the best of your abilities. For starting a YouTube channel, for instance, this includes making good thumbnails, crafting good headlines, and shooting good-quality videos. Then, raise your benchmark of good and repeat the process.
When you do this as an individual or a team, you won’t just make useful stuff. Getting things done will also strengthen your willpower and confidence. As Swami Kriyananda said, “One of the best ways to strengthen your willpower is to follow through, regardless of obstacles, on any decision you make to do something.”
Perfectionism is a socially acceptable word for “getting stuck in your own head.” Taking consistent action gives you insight and competence, which push you forward.