Why it pays to be a SATISFICER!

Last blog, I shared the funny story about my trip to Bali that didn’t happen.  I was so blown away by the number of emails I received from people sharing their own ‘blunder’ stories… and what option they would have chosen (I’m glad to report that most would now choose option C). 

If you missed the last blog, in a nutshell, I was off to Bali with a friend and we couldn’t board the flight as her passport was due to expire in less than 6 months.  Imagine planning a new holiday destination, from the airport, during school holidays. Disaster!  

I want to share another insight that I believe made the whole experience SIGNIFICANTLY less painful. It turns out that both Chelsea and I are Satisficers, when it comes to decision-making.  

Psychologists have found that people’s approaches to decision-making tend to fit into one of two categories. Maximiser or Satisficer. Maximisers are people who strive to make a choice that gives them the maximum benefit.  They evaluate every single alternative and most often the process of deciding is painstakingly difficult.  Satisficers by contrast, apply a more modest criteria to decision-making.  They determine the most important criteria and then as soon as something meets this criteria, they choose it.

For Chelsea and I; we had pretty basic criteria. We wanted to go somewhere warm, since we were packed for Bali.  We wanted separate bedrooms.  And ideally, something that wasn’t going to break the bank.  We considered a few locations. Hawaii – nope, too cold. Broome – nope, too expensive. North Queensland it was (even though North Queensland has salt water crocs).

We searched ‘two bedroom’ accommodation options and we found one resort in Mission Beach with a 2 bedroom apartment right on the beach.  It may have actually been the only only vacancy in the whole of North Queensland due to school holiday, but I wouldn’t know as we booked it immediately and then got back to enjoying our French Champagne.  

I know what you’re thinking; what if there was a better option???!!!  There is a chance there was a better option out there BUT the psychological distress that would have been caused by hours of additional searching may not have been worth the incremental benefit.

In fact, researchers have studied if it’s better to be a Maximiser or a Satisficer across many areas, from buying a new car to choosing a life partner.  It’s easy to believe that Maximisers would end up with a better outcome, since they are (theoretically) more thorough in their approach and therefore should be more informed and considered about their choice.  This is not the case.  

One interesting study looked at the choice people make when choosing a partner. Maximisers would dwell upon the process of searching, exhausting their options in an effort to find “the one”.  The researchers found they didn’t benefit from this in terms of the partner they selected. And to rub salt into the wound, they are also less happy with their decision than their fellow Satisficers, since they are always wondering ‘is there something better’.

You probably know deep down if you’re a Maximiser or a Satisficer but, if you’d like to know for sure, there is a quiz you can take.  I also highly recommend two books in this space for anyone who would like to learn more.  The Art of Choosing, by Sheena Iyengar, and The Paradox of Choice: Why Less is More, by Barry Schwartz.  Both are fantastic reads and dive into the choice mindsets further.

I leave you with one final thought. If there is a decision you’re struggling with and are displaying a maximiser mindset… or if you keep questioning if you got the best outcome from a decision you’ve already made… consider that your energy may be better spent satisfying and appreciating what you have, rather than fixating on what you might have had.  

See the difference the Satisficing choice mindset can make for yourself.