Author: Kim Lear
While The Future of Optimization has permeated our culture at large, it is Gen Z that has grown up in era when technology has enabled them to optimize everything from their sleep and their workouts to their study habits and even their intellect. Last year, I interviewed executives who work in the vitamin division of […]
While The Future of Optimization has permeated our culture at large, it is Gen Z that has grown up in era when technology has enabled them to optimize everything from their sleep and their workouts to their study habits and even their intellect.
Last year, I interviewed executives who work in the vitamin division of a large corporation. In each interview I asked, “What are the big trends shaping vitamin sales?” Aside from obvious Covid-related trends, something else came up repeatedly. It went something like this:
“These young customers don’t want to buy a regular multivitamin pulled from the shelf. Noooo. Everyone wants their personalized vitamin packets built just for them.
They couldn’t possibly take a trusted and effective multivitamin! They need a special little packet based on their own special snowflake-like uniqueness.”
I chuckled. Kind of. The snowflake thing. Got it.
As I reflected on The Future of Optimization conversation, I realized that I, a vitamin-taker, have never purchased an off-the-shelf multivitamin.
I don’t consider myself particularly unique; I simply had a blood draw at the doctor’s office after having my second baby and realized that I was low on zinc, magnesium, and vitamin D, but basically good on everything else. I didn’t avoid the multivitamin due to my “uniqueness.”
I did it because a multivitamin isn’t the optimal vitamin for my body.
Personalization is misunderstood. People don’t purchase personalized products because they think of themselves as unique snowflakes. People purchase personalized products because those products happen to be more optimal — more perfect, more useful, and more effective.
Optimization entered mainstream conversation in the early 2000s. A familiar example for some of you may be Tim Ferriss’s books, The 4-Hour Workweek, The 4-Hour Body, and The 4-Hour Chef, all focused on lifestyle optimization. If we implement the right tools, routines, rituals, and habits, Ferriss tells us, our time will be spent more perfectly, more effectively, and more usefully.
While The Future of Optimization has permeated our culture at large, it is Gen Z that has grown up in era when technology has enabled them to optimize everything from their sleep and their workouts to their study habits and even their intellect.
I’ll give you an example: A stationary at-home bike can be a convenient way to work out, but a Peloton can help you optimize your workout by understanding your personal goals, collecting data about your speed and strength, and suggesting programming that will help you not just exercise, but advance. Convenience seeks to eliminate effort; optimization seeks to perfect.
The unintended consequences of this The Future of Optimization obsession are many, and I’ll write about them in another essay. As some of you may already be thinking, our endless quest for self-improvement and perfection has downsides.
For now, we’ll explore the implications for the future.
1. Throughout the pandemic, there have been sentimental conversations about the loss of meaningful workplace interactions. The water-cooler talk, serendipitous conversation, the general white space of in-person work.
However, the traditional workplace also has a lot of meaningless interactions. Distractions, gossip, workplace politics, useless meetings, etc. While much of the white-collar workforce has been working from home, many people have figured out how to optimize their time.
They use 15-minute breaks for exercise, throw laundry in the machine between meetings, spend lunchtime with children, etc. This kind of personal control could continue to reduce tolerance for suboptimal use of time.
2. The Wall Street Journal recently reported on a trend of remote workers taking on two full-time jobs.
There are some ethical issues with this but this idea of “poly-work” was discussed even before most companies were forced to be remote. Some workers are figuring out how to make as much as money as possible by optimizing their tech and their time.
3. Jerry Seinfeld once said in an interview, “Nothing truly great is efficient.” Taking a hard look at optimization presents an opportunity for productive cross-generational mentorship. Seasoned leaders can revisit processes and procedures objectively and explore where opportunities for The Future of Optimization exist.
On the flip side, young employees can be trained to identify the best places for suboptimal experiences. Innovation, creativity, and team culture can have a hard time flourishing in an environment hyper-focused on optimization.
4. Brands can reframe personalization as The Future of Optimization, not specialness. Rather than asking, “How can we make our customer feel special?” Companies can ask, “How can we make this product or service as effective as possible for the people we’re trying to serve?”
The bottom line is: the ability to optimize has already brought us many benefits and consequences are sure to follow, but our societal drive for perfection isn’t going away anytime soon.
The Future of Optimization Article written by Kim Lear and originally published on Inlay Insights
Contact Us at WeSpeak Global and follow us on Twitter
Author Profile
The articles, video and images embedded on these pages are from various speakers and talent.
These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by WeSpeak Global.
The Best Employees are the Ones Who Understand the Bigger Picture We often talk about the best leadership qualities, but we should be talking about the best qualities of an employee. The best employees are the ones that know their efforts contribute to something bigger than themselves. They see how their work has an […]
Lizette Volkwyn is also one of only two certified PEI human lie detector in South Africa! Meet Lizette Volkwyn, an energetic, dynamic and focused South African who believes that all you have to do today is to be 1% better than yesterday. Lizette encourages individuals to strive for self-acceptance and to appreciate their self-worth. She […]
The Survival Guide, originally written for overworked and underappreciated public servants, offers ten checkpoints that signal burnout. After sharing this popular workshop based on the book with audiences filled with clerks, librarians, planners, firefighters, administrators, and many other municipal groups, the private sector came calling. Who cares about Public Servants and a The Survival Guide? Why? Because […]
This morning I woke up with a feeling of total despair as An eagle eye in trouble times…, the feeling of not doing enough. Not having enough, not knowing where to start and not knowing where I wanted to go. This uneasy feeling of negativity was so out of character and my first reaction was […]
The pandemic may be easing up in many parts of the world, but its effects will forever shape how we live, work and shop so here are 3 Strategies to Reach Post-COVID Customers The past two years have brought unbelievable challenges and changes. Throughout the uncertainty, people have evaluated their priorities and lifestyles. A full 50% […]
The key to unlock your personal POWER OF SELF-DISCOVERY lies in your identity, it all begins and end with you. Your Identity is your authority. Your life is the fruit of your identity. Success therefore begins with you! During my preparation of the 2nd installation of the #BIOConnect Vision Crafting and Strategic Planning Webinar that […]
Until someone creates a way to accurately predict the future and Beyond Disruption, there is no way to prepare your business for every change that will come its way and beyond disruption. Whether it is a pandemic that changes the economic outlook, societal trends that change consumption patterns, or machinery or infrastructure that breaks down, […]
Be a Force for Good in the wake of some of the recent events in the world and in light of so much of what we’ve all been through the past few years, I’ve been finding it challenging to focus on the good stuff and Be a Force for Good, even though this is at […]
Our Mission
© All rights reserved 2025. Created using VOXEL THEME
