ex-Stripe, Twitter, Google, Yahoo. Startup advisor. Coaching PMs through my courses.
Very interesting discussion in the comment thread of the quoted post below. "A surprisingly high % of people tend to spend more time researching what car they will buy than what company they will join" Want to know the reason why this happens? There are many contributing factors here, of course, but the chief reason is very simple: Researching what car to buy is fun - researching what company to join next is not fun. (this is true for the vast majority of people) Car buying releases dopamine (feel-good hormone). Job hunting releases cortisol (stress hormone). Left to our own devices, we tend do more of what feels good and less of what feels bad in the moment. Those of us who have high IQs and are very analytical hate to admit this. So our explanations for why this happens will almost always reference systems, incentives, control, transparency, information asymmetry, experimentation, etc. Those explanations make us feel smart. But understanding the core reason behind a given behavior, whether it is our own or the general public's, is key to unlocking higher levels of wisdom. And it is also key to consistent product success.
ex-Stripe, Twitter, Google, Yahoo. Startup advisor. Coaching PMs through my courses.
A surprisingly high % of people tend to spend more time researching what car they will buy than what company they will join.
Definitely agree that we are prone to do what feels good in the moment. Afterall, easy dopamine is easy dopamine. But there is also the other side of the emotional aspect of prevention. Prevention of strong negative emotions. Getting a new car would indeed give us dopamine, but cars are expensive so there’s also a chance of extreme buyer’s remorse because of that large investment. With more time researching on what car to spend our money on, the less likely the chance of buyer’s remorse. We like to do what feels good in the moment, but as emotionally competent rational humans, we also tend to take preventative measures to prevent future negative feelings. Depending on the person (and probably their financial situation) the strong unpleasant feelings of buyer’s remorse could qualify for preventative action more so than that potential feeling of not liking the new company that just hired them.
This reminds me of the conversation with Devanshu Verma, that many individuals prefer their parents or siblings to handle their matrimonial sites rather than searching matches by themselves. It is indeed stressful in cases - job/stream/marriage where one has to pledge their freedom for a significantly long time.
This is such a thought-provoking observation! It's fascinating how our brains can drive us toward instant gratification over long-term benefits. The psychological aspect you highlighted is crucial—dopamine vs. cortisol explains a lot about our decision-making processes. It’s a reminder of the importance of making conscious choices, especially in career moves where the impact is long-term. Thanks for sharing this insightful perspective, Shreyas!
Well, the car doesn't have a right to reject me often. 🤪
So true. In fact, the problem is most folks blindly apply to all job openings.
Yes, exactly. It's also the hard work vs reward mindset that comes in play. Finding a job has no instant gratification at the end of it, but buying a car might probably come to an end decision of me enjoying a long drive.
Our thoughts and beliefs play a critical role in shaping our emotional responses, which in turn drive our behaviors and decisions. Hence, it’s important to examine our beliefs about job hunting that contribute to feelings of stress.
I prefer to drive reliable 10+ yr old cars and watch podcasts (Lex Fridman) on Saturday nights (I of course make time for movie night though :)
Building Smingle to healthify dating
2wIn terms of personal wellness, if people would actually try to move their careers ahead with the question of what would bring them more joy, maybe they'd release the happy hormones. Shreyas