There are two types of decision makers. Satisficers (yes, satisficers) make a decision once their criteria are met. When they find the hotel or the pasta sauce that has the qualities they want, they're satisfied. Maximizers want to make the best possible decision. Even if they see a bicycle or a backpack that meets their requirements, they can't make a decision until they've examined every option. Satisficers tend to be happier than maximizers. Maximizers expend more time and energy reaching decisions, and they're often anxious about their choices. Sometimes good enough is good enough.
Friday, September 26, 2008
I Think This Especially Applies to Curriculum Choices...
I stumbled upon this quote in Real Simple magazine (I pick these up occasionally at the grocery store because I like their organizational ideas and such . I thought Gretchen Rubin did a wonderful job of explaining something that I find very much worth thinking about:
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4 comments:
Interesting. And useful to think about. I think I'm a bit of both, though I probably lean more toward being a maximizer. Often I find something that is good enough and stop looking. At other times I want to know what all my options are. Or maybe it's just that my list of criteria for some things is such that I can't find exactly what I want so I'm looking for the best of all compromises. Or to put it another way, I'm picky.
Well, and I think there's a certain point to being picky. I guess the nugget I found valuable was that once something meets your criteria (which I guess could include truth, goodness, beauty and cost!) that that should be good enough - which is good for me to remember!
Nice quote. I have both tendencies, too, and my reactions vary according to how much money I'm spending, etc.
I liked the distinction. I think prioritizing is one of my major challenges in parenting, homeschooling, etc. Our time and money is limited, so when we "maximize" in something that's not so important, we end up having to short in some more important area. I try to be OK with the middle road in most things that don't seem of first importance, but of course, it's an ongoing challenge trying to decide where those areas are.
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