As I worked through the exercise in Part I of this series, trying to satisfice while choosing a dessert, I found the following thought nestled among the expected worries:
“This is a bunch of crap. Settling means you won’t get what you want, and if you don’t get what you want, you won’t be happy.”
But is this true? Getting what I want might bring me pleasure, but will it leave me feeling centered, contented and capable? Today’s exercise examines these questions.
The task is simple: each time you make a decision, spend a moment noticing (perhaps writing down) the emotions and physical sensations that come up *after* you’ve made your choice. (You can take this a step further and return to your choices a few days later, asking whether you’re still happy with them.) Also note whether you were maximizing our satisficing as you chose. That’s it.
Did any patterns emerge for you as you did this? Were you truly happier with your maximized choices or did you feel regret?
Subscribe!