"How much time do I spend analyzing and worrying about something that I want to do?", I asked my wife.
"You don't spend anytime at all.", she replied.
"And, what percentage of the time am I successful accomplishing what I was trying to do?"
"60 - 70%"
"Ok, how much time do YOU spend analyzing and worrying?"
"A LOT!"
"And, what percentage of the time are you successful?"
"Almost 100%"
"So at the end of the day, we are often both successful, but I just have spent much less mental energy in the process. 70% eh? That was about my grade point average throughout school and college..."
This recent interchange between my wife and I one Shabbos morning illustrated the different approaches we have to problem solving. I am 100% pure energy with some minimal simplistic thinking, and my wife is 100% brilliant analysis with a lot of second guessing of her analysis. Each one of these approaches on its own may become a recipe for disaster, but put together - the decisiveness with the careful analysis - ensures that we make excellent decisions more often than naught.
Nice to have a spouse that does things in a complementary way. It helps us maintain balance. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteA somewhat related quote from the Kotzker Rebbe can be found here
ReplyDeleteASJ, are you saying that neither of you goes and does something important without the two of you first reaching a consensus? Do you find that your initial proposed decisions tend to coincide despite the two methodologies, or does there usually have to be a process of compromise?
ReplyDeleteBob: No, there are certainly times we act with out consulting each other.
ReplyDeleteAs for your second question, I find that my wife usually gives me insight on a better way of going about something, and I in turn give her the confidence she needs to know that she made a correct decision.
your description of yourself doesn't really come through in the blog.. weird.
ReplyDelete