Jennifer spent three hours researching water bottles. She compared materials, read hundreds of reviews, analyzed temperature retention data, and created a spreadsheet with seventeen criteria. In the end, she bought the same brand her friend recommended initially—but in a different color.
Those three hours could have been spent with her daughter, working on her novel, or simply relaxing. Instead, she optimized a decision that would have zero impact on her life satisfaction. The water bottle? It holds water. Mission accomplished.
This chapter explores the most radical decision-making strategy of all: embracing "good enough" and freeing yourself from the tyranny of optimization.