This is a guest article by Aaron Pinkston, founder of Clarifinancial. He wasn’t satisfied with the ways people had to get life insurance quotes, so he created something better.
Have you ever noticed you can relax about decisions you made while others around you are still running around frantically? On the other hand, you probably have certain decision obsessions that seem to grab all your energy and focus.
Some people are maximizers and feel compelled to find the single best possible solution available (or find a new one). Other people are satisficers who are comfortable with decisions they make, as long as they are mostly confident the decision they make is reasonably good.
Many people seem to believe being a satisficer is better because they are happier and can make decisions more efficiently than maximizers. However, I believe there is a lot of value in being a maximizer. Like most things, you can probably have both attributes.
I know that I am a maximizer in some parts of my life but a satisficer in others. In fact, I can be more specific than that — I am only a maximizer in areas that matter to me.
Matrimonial mania
People love to give examples of weddings, so I’ll follow suit. When it came to my wedding, I was a satisficer. Both my wife and I thought it was a silly question when people asked what our “colors” were. I had no idea what that question even meant!
Secretly, I think my mom took it too far when she planted the garden with flowers in the color we were forced to choose. The only reason I let her do that was because she plants annuals, which are plants that die after just one year. She even considered the blooming cycles of different plants to maximize the color on our wedding date. But to her, this was an important decision that would help make the whole design more harmonious.
Come wedding day, we moved it inside because of the rain and everybody was happy.
Am I saying my wedding was unimportant to me? Sort of. But only because I maximized my decision for a life partner. Others seem to take the opposite approach.
Happiness and innovation
I agree with the research that shows satisficers are usually happier. I know I’m consistently happy when I don’t have to worry about something, and this includes many things in my life, like what I wear.
But I love a challenge. Sometimes, being exceptionally great just isn’t enough. It’s not until I have found the very best possible answer that I can experience true and lasting satisfaction. Satisficers might typically be happier, but if it weren’t for maximizers, the quality of our lives would stagnate.
Look at all the innovation around you. Better yet, since you’re reading this on a computer, stop to think about all the innovation at your finger tips. I’d be willing to bet that your computer and the network of computers that enable you to read these words wouldn’t rock so hard if folks were okay with the answer they already had. In fact, as good as it is, it’s not good enough for some. What will they create next?
Those people are maximizers in part of their life but are probably satisficers in other areas. We wouldn’t have knives if a chipped rock was good enough. Knives come in handy. I have a few in my kitchen. But I don’t need them to be the best.
Think about it. Are you a maximizer in some areas of your life and a satisficer in other areas? When are you content when others continue searching and when do you keep looking for better answers when others have moved on?
Updated January 20, 2012 and originally published April 3, 2010. If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to the RSS feed or receive daily emails. Follow @flexo on Twitter and visit our Facebook page for more updates.
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Luke Landes founded Consumerism Commentary in 2003 and has been building online communities since 1990. Luke, also known as Flexo, has contributed to PC World Magazine, US News, Forbes, and other publications. 
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Based on your definition Aaron I’m definitely a satisficer! There is no one perfect solution.
Cheers, Sam
Sam, I would agree there is rarely a best solution, but that means there is often a better one than the one you have now. Do you ever find yourself always looking to improve in certain areas of your life? Something tennis-related maybe?
I agree with the idea that I can be both maximizer and satisficer. Right now, I am a maximizer when it comes to my finances, and almost always been a satisficer about keeping my home clean. The dishes get washed the floors get cleaned, but all flat surfaces tend to become covered. The decks get cleared weekly. I am content with this, because I choose to use my energy in other ways.
I just talked to someone today about this topic (he had never heard of a “satisficer.”)
How coincidental :)