I’m a natural maximizer. Whenever I do something, my natural inclination is to go all the way. For example, I travel comfortably and productively with just one bag that weighs less than ten pounds. My RV has become almost comical, with marble and wood floors, gold leaf, and advanced security and automation systems.
The pitfall of being a maximizer, though, is that you’re unlikely to have the time or resources to maximize everything.
I’m in the process of buying a condo in Vegas right now. I could tell you exactly what I’m looking for, because I found it. There was a perfect condo that had the exact type of layout I wanted, was the right size, and had the right parking. I rushed to get an agent and told him I wanted to make a full price offer during our first conversation.
Since I was in Vienna at the time, he visited the property for me and told me the bad news. There was a ton of water damage and an accepted offer came in an hour or two prior anyway.
So I went back to the listings, picked the next best place, and put an offer in the same day. It’s not perfect, but it does have most of the things I want. Perfect location, good layout, right number of bedrooms, etc.
Knowing that my nature is to maximize, I was a little bit surprised at how quickly I compromised. I wasn’t willing to buy just any place, but a place that was 80% rather than 95% was very nearly as exciting to me.
Thinking about it, I realized that it’s often a good idea to maximize when you’re in control, and rarely correct when you’re not in control.
I have no sway over which properties come onto the market. All I can do is pick the one that best fits my criteria. So why stress over it and wait forever for the perfect one? I’ll eventually maximize by rebuilding the inside to my own preferences, so it’s best to just pick one that will be good enough for that.
As WifeQuest 9000 approaches, I think the same thing about dating. Given that I don’t mind being single, there’s some part of me that wants to maximize and not settle until I meet the absolute perfect girl. I know, though, that that’s not a good strategy. Better is to wait until I find someone I’m confident I can make it work with, and then maximize by building the best relationship possible.
If you maximize too much, look for areas you can’t control for opportunities to compromise and move on. If you suffice too much, find things where you have complete control, and veer a little bit towards the side of perfectionism.
###
Photo is a statue on the roof of Il Duomo in Milan. From Milan we went to Vienna, Prague, Paris, and now Bangkok. I’ll still be in Chiang Mai, Shanghai, and Tokyo before heading back on the 17th.
Gear post is coming soon– I’ll probably make it while I’m here in Bangkok.
Leave a Reply