Mentis- Pick one decision you've been carrying.
- Write the bar: up to three things it must do. Write the clock: when you'll decide.
- Take the first option that clears the bar. Stop looking.
- In Mentis: "A Bar And A Clock" and "One Carried Decision A Week", chapter 7 of the Overthinking plan.
How do you use the good-enough rule?
- Name the decision. "Which laptop." "Whether to take the Pune offer." "What to say in the message."
- Set the bar. Three points or fewer. "Under ₹70k, 16GB RAM, good battery."
- Set the clock. A real time. "Decide by Thursday 8pm."
- Look until something clears the bar, then choose it. Don't keep looking for something better.
- Ship it. Buy it, send it, say it. Then notice how the week feels with one less thing to carry.
Why does "good enough" work better?
Psychologist Barry Schwartz split decision-makers into two types. Maximisers search for the best possible option. Satisficers choose the first one that's good enough. Across several studies, maximisers reported less happiness and satisfaction, and more regret (Schwartz et al., 2002). In a study of graduating students, maximisers landed jobs with about 20% higher starting salaries, but felt worse about their job search and the result (Iyengar, Wells & Schwartz, 2006).
The fear behind overthinking a decision is usually regret. Here's the twist: people consistently predict they'll regret a choice more than they actually do (Gilbert et al., 2004). The clock helps because the longer you deliberate, the more "what ifs" you can find.
When should you use it?
- Purchases you've been comparing for weeks.
- Messages and emails you keep redrafting.
- Work tasks stuck in "almost done". The plan's step is "Ship One Thing At Done".
- Bigger life decisions, with a longer clock and maybe a trusted person to share the bar with.
Where is it in the Mentis app?
Chapter 7 of the Overthinking plan, "Good enough", has a keystone habit of one carried decision a week. Activities include "Why You Can't Decide", "Pick This Week's Decision, And Its Bar", the audio "The Person Who Decided By Tuesday", "Done, Not Perfect" and "The Regret You're Predicting". If your inner voice is behind the perfectionism, try critic vs friend.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I overthink small decisions?
Often because you're trying to find the best option rather than a good one. Searching for the best means you can always find one more thing to compare, so the decision never feels finished.
What's the difference between a maximiser and a satisficer?
A maximiser looks for the best possible option. A satisficer picks the first option that meets their standards. Studies find maximisers often get objectively better results but feel less satisfied and more regretful.
What if I pick wrong?
Most decisions can be undone or adjusted. The plan's lesson 'The Regret You're Predicting' looks at how people tend to overestimate how much they'll regret a choice.
Does this work for big decisions?
Yes, with a longer clock and a more careful bar. The bar stops the decision from growing, and the clock stops it from dragging on forever.
- Schwartz B et al. (2002). Maximizing versus satisficing: happiness is a matter of choice. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 83(5).
- Iyengar SS, Wells RE, Schwartz B (2006). Doing better but feeling worse: looking for the 'best' job undermines satisfaction. Psychological Science 17(2).
- Gilbert DT et al. (2004). Looking forward to looking backward: the misprediction of regret. Psychological Science 15(5).