Humans have finite mental bandwidth. Instead of trying to optimize every choice (maximizing), we use mental shortcuts to find a "good enough" path. Proactively adopting this "satisficing" mindset reduces decision fatigue, regret, and the paralysis of choice in our personal and professional lives.

For difficult decisions, ask the simple question: "What does right look like?" and then do that. This framework simplifies complexity. While doing the right thing can be harder or more expensive in the short term, it consistently leads to better outcomes in the long run.

Research distinguishes between "maximizers," who must find the absolute best option, and "satisficers," who stop searching once their criteria are met. Satisficers tend to be happier, even if they don't land the "perfect" outcome. Applied to careers, this suggests that defining "good enough" leads to more fulfillment than the perpetual, and often frustrating, search for a dream job.

Fredkin's Paradox describes how we waste the most energy on decisions where options are so similar that the choice barely matters. To counteract this, establish "good enough" criteria for most decisions. This prevents agonizing over trivial choices and saves mental energy for high-impact ones.

For big, uncertain choices like schooling, use a formal process: Frame the question, Fact-find without deciding, set a time for a Final decision, and schedule a Follow-up. This structure prevents endless deliberation by acknowledging you can't be 100% certain but can still move forward confidently and revisit the choice later.

A psychology experiment revealed that people forced to commit to a choice became happier with it over time because the brain rationalizes the decision, effectively manufacturing happiness. In contrast, keeping options open leads to second-guessing and dissatisfaction. Decisiveness is a key to happiness.

To avoid analysis paralysis in major life decisions like marriage or faith, adopt the Marine Corps' leadership principle: gather 80% of the necessary information, then make a choice and commit. Waiting for 100% certainty is a trap that paralyzes action and postpones happiness.

Aim to make decisions when you have between 40% and 70% of the necessary information. Striving for more than 70% leads to slow, inefficient decision-making, allowing competitors to get ahead. The key is making timely, good-enough decisions, not perfect ones.

Continually seeking the optimal choice ("maximizing") leads to dissatisfaction, regret, and unhappiness. Instead, practice "satisficing" by setting "good enough" criteria for decisions. Once a choice meets these criteria, commit to it and move on, saving cognitive bandwidth for what truly matters.