A Word on Optimization

At what point does the cost of pursuing optimization begin to outweigh the benefits? At what point do we consider optimization achieved?

There’s such a push to try and optimize every aspect of our lives. Whole industries have been built on it. Careers made on it. But no one can really tell you where the curve starts to level off, and your efforts become futile, or even start to erode the progress you’ve made. But I have to believe that a life focused on optimization misses the point of life. 

It’s my opinion that if you exercise regularly, 3 - 5 times per week, and you eat a good diet, one that is rich in fruits, vegetables, lean meats and proteins, and devoid of added sugars and artificial ingredients (nothing processed) then you are at least 90 percent of the way there. If you’re sleeping well, which you likely are because you’re exercising and eating right, you’re even closer. Working a job you love, closer still. Maintaining close relationships with loved ones. You’re nearly at 100 percent.

So how much more of a role could vitamins play? Supplements? Hot and cold therapy? High intensity training? How much more is it going to add to your life? How many days, weeks, years will it add? How much better are you going to feel? One percent better? Two percent better? I take vitamins, supplements, and do different “health” modalities, and the difference between when I do them or not is negligible.

I’ve heard countless people say “when I stopped eating sugar I felt amazing.” “When I stopped eating bread, pasta, and processed food I felt amazing.” “Stopping drinking was the best thing I ever did.” “When I started exercising I felt amazing.” Whether that was walking, hiking, running, yoga, or strength training was irrelevant. And that’s been my experience as well.

But I’ve never heard anyone say “When I started taking my vitamins, I started to feel amazing.” “When I started waking up to view morning sunlight is when everything changed.” “Creatine changed my life.” It’s just not something I’ve ever heard.

Conversely, if you’re not eating right and exercising, then there is nothing you could ever do to feel amazing. No vitamins, supplements, medication, contrast therapy, or any other life hack that people and companies promote will give you that feeling that exercise and diet provides. And anything that does provide that benefit only lasts a short time and then wears off.

So I guess there’s two things I think about.

The first is personal. Why am I spending so much time and money on this dream of being “optimized” when I’m already as close to the pin as I can get. It’s like that old Jim Gaffigan joke. He goes to the gym, sees a bunch of really in shape people and say, “What are you doing here? You’re done.”

Second is societal. If careers and industry were built on getting people to eat right and exercise, instead of focusing on a small percentage of the population that are “optimizing,” how much better off would we be? I know it doesn’t work like that. Doing good was never the intention of capitalism, and the former is way harder than the latter. It’s way easier to say “take this pill,” then it is to educate people and give them resources to improve themselves. But it’s still the thing I think about and wonder.

We’re focused on optimizing a few while the masses could use a hand with the basics.