Satisficing as an Antidote to Analysis Paralysis
I’ve always been an overthinker. Always getting caught up in trying to make the “best” decision, always spending more time researching and optimizing than actually doing. This manifests in my hobbies — instead of playing games, I’m often looking for new games that are more fun or exciting. Instead of watching a movie, I’m always looking for the best movie for the moment. I know that I have this problem, but I still have trouble letting go of trying to find the “best” option.
I recently watched a video about “satisficing” (satisfying + sufficing) has helped me think about things in a new way that feels like a breakthrough. It comes down to this question:
Would I rather spend my time and energy living out and enjoying my hobbies, even “suboptimally,” or would I rather spend my time researching about those hobbies?
Re-framing the tendency to overanalyze as a choice in and of itself helps me realize that there is a cost to getting stuck in a decision. By choosing to choose “good enough,” I can free up my time and energy to do the thing I actually want to do!
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