Entering into a new coffee shop for the first time, it’s a foreign thing for me to walk in, take a cursory glance at the menu and quickly place an order. But, just now, I did that very thing. Those who know me well can attest – that’s sort of a big deal.
See, the tendency of my mind is to survey the full scope of options and study the possibilities very carefully to ensure the very best selection. Psychologist/writer Barry Schwartz would characterize me as a maximizer. The problem with my line of thinking is that there isn’t always a single, best choice. There likely will be numerous good options, and the possibilities quickly become overwhelming.
Take the restaurant will an all-around awesome menu – you know, the one where everything sounds delish. Should be something to get excited about, right? No matter what you select, it’s bound to be amazing.
But, to the maximizer, this type of restaurant is torturous. Why? The maximizer aims to make the very best selection. The problem here? There isn’t necessarily a best option. So, the maximizer becomes incredibly overwhelmed and even paralyzed. Even after they cough up a choice, they likely won’t be satisfied. Life becomes oppressive when this affects most everyday decisions.
So, being a maximizer certainly isn’t something to strive for. And, though my nature is to be one, I’ll argue that I make choices that allow those thoughts to control me. Thus, I’m reframing my mind, one step at a time. And today, I’m celebrating a little victory because this marks the day one trick became clear to me – don’t survey the entire field.
