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.
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!
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?
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.
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!
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.
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!
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!
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.
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.
The link below is from one of my favorite British comedy shows.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LRq_SAuQDec