Interestingly, I'm a maximizer when it comes to goods/services — and yes, it's sometimes dysfunctionally paralyzing, and I've known this for years. Optimizing, however, I find to be an intriguing and even pleasurable intellectual challenge — like the long-gone analytical section of the GRE. This tends to be how I approach my work life. But in terms of personal risk-taking, I'm totally willing to try something new, even in public, and be terrible at it.
Are there situations where even a maximiser will 'let up', I wonder?
There's the joke about parents and the different choices they make for their children according to birth order.
They are maximisers with the first born getting top of the range everything, but by the time number three comes along, even threadbare hand me downs are good enough.
I think that grandparents are a terrific example of this phenomenon! They might have been strict maximizers as parents, but with their grandkids they are relaxed satisficers, to their grandkids’ delight and their kids’ bafflement!
My dad is like you. He really enjoys looking for the best deal too, which made me realize at a young age that being a maximizer can be a fun game. (Great analogy to the analytic section of the GRE, btw--that was a fun section for me too!)
Great post, very insightful! While not a Maximizer myself, I'm on the spectrum. My friends call me the Optimizer. Some similar OCD tendencies, but rather than getting "the best" goal, I try to make the outcomes "best for everyone" including costs, time, usefulness, etc. Fortuanately optimization includes going with the decision with no regrets, so I'm not constantly second-guessing. But sometimes coordinating a group event offers so many variables that I sometimes have to resort to some linear algebra to make sure I've covered all probability space.
The "race"was my absolute favorite! I wasn;t goin g to watch ----well only for a moment----and then I was hooked! It's charming, fascinating and a perfect denouement to the article. Congrats - great fun!
Wasn’t that video wonderful! I have watched the whole thing twice! It is fascinating and somehow also really relaxing. I think it is all the flapping wings!
Lovely post! I’m a bit of a satisficer when it comes to making decisions, but (unfortunately? Fortunately?) I’m
a maximizer when it comes to my contributions. Am I trying my hardest? Am I giving it my best effort? Am
I being open minded and curious enough? Am I getting out of my comfort zone? Once I commit to a choice, even the “eh, good enough” choice, I like to give the best of myself.
But sometimes that means admitting that I’m just not a certain type of person. Even though I love to cook, I’m not the type of person who wants to lovingly baby a cast iron skillet - I know I’m hard on my things and I want cheap pans I can dent and scrape. I’m not the type of person who wants to get up with the sun and do yoga, even if that’s what’s “best” - I’m a night owl who prefers my exercise in the dark with club music, heavy exertion and dumbbells. As someone mentioned above, sometimes the best choice isn’t the best choice *for me*.
Knowing myself and how to optimize my choices *for me* is a life’s work, and I consider trying new things - and being bad at them! - to be an important part of that work. How can I know what kinds of things in the world are best for my happiness if I don’t explore what the world has to offer?
I think if we knew each other irl, we would be friends! Your approach sounds like such a sensible balance--to try to do your best, and also to allocate that “best” to enterprises that fit your interests. (And I agree about cast iron skillets! So fussy!)
Forgot to mention--In Sam Shepard's fabulous play "True West," toast and toasters figure prominently, along with the great line, "I don't want any goddamn toast." A toast to that!
I loved this article. The whole idea behind "WireCutter" in the NYT makes me tired. Plus, the idea of maximizing "the best" when we buy something is more subjective than they acknowledge. Their best may not be my best, and vice-versa. This issue comes up for me with America's Test Kitchen. They have so many delicious recipes, but there are times when their idea of the best...whatever...does not appeal to me. For example, their pie crust made with vodka. I've made it and eaten it and I don't like as much as ordinary pie crust. So, I'm a bit of a maximizer by nature, but according to my standards and preferences. Perhaps I'm a hybrid, but I also really love the idea of doing stuff I'm not good at for fun. In those cases, I try to maximize my humility. Lovely article.
This is such a good point. We are better off figuring out what is the best for us--our situation and our tastes--and sticking with that rather than pursuing someone else’s idea of “the best.” I once went to brunch with a guy I was dating, and he insisted that I have cream for my coffee. “But I don’t like cream! I like milk!” I protested. “But you should have the best, and cream is the best,” he insisted. I did not enjoy the coffee! (Or continue dating him.)
I love so many things about this post and could go on quite a bit here in the comments, but, I won't because that's too much.
Your description of the Maximizer design process made me tired just reading it! I usually check 3, maybe 5 max, things and then go with the best-ist one.
OMG! I want the OK brand here! I would have so much peace of mind if I could be assured that something I bought was perfectly OK!
Right? I just love the humility! OK is good enough!
Interestingly, I'm a maximizer when it comes to goods/services — and yes, it's sometimes dysfunctionally paralyzing, and I've known this for years. Optimizing, however, I find to be an intriguing and even pleasurable intellectual challenge — like the long-gone analytical section of the GRE. This tends to be how I approach my work life. But in terms of personal risk-taking, I'm totally willing to try something new, even in public, and be terrible at it.
Are there situations where even a maximiser will 'let up', I wonder?
There's the joke about parents and the different choices they make for their children according to birth order.
They are maximisers with the first born getting top of the range everything, but by the time number three comes along, even threadbare hand me downs are good enough.
I think that grandparents are a terrific example of this phenomenon! They might have been strict maximizers as parents, but with their grandkids they are relaxed satisficers, to their grandkids’ delight and their kids’ bafflement!
I know, right!
Perhaps it’s because the responsibility of getting it right no longer weighs heavily on them. It has shifted to their children.
Makes one wonder what the different motivations are, to be a maximiser in the first place.
My dad is like you. He really enjoys looking for the best deal too, which made me realize at a young age that being a maximizer can be a fun game. (Great analogy to the analytic section of the GRE, btw--that was a fun section for me too!)
Great post, very insightful! While not a Maximizer myself, I'm on the spectrum. My friends call me the Optimizer. Some similar OCD tendencies, but rather than getting "the best" goal, I try to make the outcomes "best for everyone" including costs, time, usefulness, etc. Fortuanately optimization includes going with the decision with no regrets, so I'm not constantly second-guessing. But sometimes coordinating a group event offers so many variables that I sometimes have to resort to some linear algebra to make sure I've covered all probability space.
Whoa--what a service you provide for us satisficers! I am glad to hear that you are perfectly fine with “good enough”!
The "race"was my absolute favorite! I wasn;t goin g to watch ----well only for a moment----and then I was hooked! It's charming, fascinating and a perfect denouement to the article. Congrats - great fun!
Wasn’t that video wonderful! I have watched the whole thing twice! It is fascinating and somehow also really relaxing. I think it is all the flapping wings!
Lovely post! I’m a bit of a satisficer when it comes to making decisions, but (unfortunately? Fortunately?) I’m
a maximizer when it comes to my contributions. Am I trying my hardest? Am I giving it my best effort? Am
I being open minded and curious enough? Am I getting out of my comfort zone? Once I commit to a choice, even the “eh, good enough” choice, I like to give the best of myself.
But sometimes that means admitting that I’m just not a certain type of person. Even though I love to cook, I’m not the type of person who wants to lovingly baby a cast iron skillet - I know I’m hard on my things and I want cheap pans I can dent and scrape. I’m not the type of person who wants to get up with the sun and do yoga, even if that’s what’s “best” - I’m a night owl who prefers my exercise in the dark with club music, heavy exertion and dumbbells. As someone mentioned above, sometimes the best choice isn’t the best choice *for me*.
Knowing myself and how to optimize my choices *for me* is a life’s work, and I consider trying new things - and being bad at them! - to be an important part of that work. How can I know what kinds of things in the world are best for my happiness if I don’t explore what the world has to offer?
P.S. I love an Ok kettle!
I think if we knew each other irl, we would be friends! Your approach sounds like such a sensible balance--to try to do your best, and also to allocate that “best” to enterprises that fit your interests. (And I agree about cast iron skillets! So fussy!)
That’s a great way of putting it - and I definitely expect we’d be friends!
Forgot to mention--In Sam Shepard's fabulous play "True West," toast and toasters figure prominently, along with the great line, "I don't want any goddamn toast." A toast to that!
Ha! Good one!
I loved this article. The whole idea behind "WireCutter" in the NYT makes me tired. Plus, the idea of maximizing "the best" when we buy something is more subjective than they acknowledge. Their best may not be my best, and vice-versa. This issue comes up for me with America's Test Kitchen. They have so many delicious recipes, but there are times when their idea of the best...whatever...does not appeal to me. For example, their pie crust made with vodka. I've made it and eaten it and I don't like as much as ordinary pie crust. So, I'm a bit of a maximizer by nature, but according to my standards and preferences. Perhaps I'm a hybrid, but I also really love the idea of doing stuff I'm not good at for fun. In those cases, I try to maximize my humility. Lovely article.
This is such a good point. We are better off figuring out what is the best for us--our situation and our tastes--and sticking with that rather than pursuing someone else’s idea of “the best.” I once went to brunch with a guy I was dating, and he insisted that I have cream for my coffee. “But I don’t like cream! I like milk!” I protested. “But you should have the best, and cream is the best,” he insisted. I did not enjoy the coffee! (Or continue dating him.)
I love so many things about this post and could go on quite a bit here in the comments, but, I won't because that's too much.
Your description of the Maximizer design process made me tired just reading it! I usually check 3, maybe 5 max, things and then go with the best-ist one.
You are striking the right balance!
The link below is from one of my favorite British comedy shows.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LRq_SAuQDec
This video is cracking me up! I am laughing so hard that I am scaring the dog!