Coined by: Nicholas Townsend Smith Date of Origin: December 25, 2025
 

1. The Definition
 

Optificing™ Pronunciation: \ ˈäp-tə-ˌfī-siŋ

Part of Speech: verb (gerund); Optificer™ (noun)
 

1. The strategic process of refining a system, product, or self beyond the threshold of basic acceptability ("satisficing") but intentionally halting refinement before reaching the point of diminishing returns ("optimizing") to pivot toward growth. 
2. A fractal approach to creation that prioritizes high-impact expansion over flawless execution; a modern application of Aristotle’s "Golden Mean" applied to productivity—navigating between the apathy of settling and the paralysis of perfectionism.

3. (In the context of The 12 Journeys): The act of identifying a "Root" or "Shoot" that is functional, sharpening it for maximum efficacy, and releasing it into the world before the ego demands perfection.
 

2. Etymology & Origin
 

Origin: Coined by author and human performance coach Nicholas Townsend Smith on December 25, 2025.

Etymology: A portmanteau blending two distinct economic and psychological concepts:
 

• Optimization: From Latin optimus ("best"). The act of making something as perfect, functional, or effective as possible. In decision theory, this is often linked to Barry Schwartz’s concept of "Maximizing," which he correlates with increased anxiety and regret.
   

• Satisficing: A term coined by Nobel Laureate Herbert Simon in 1956, blending satisfy + suffice. Simon’s theory of Bounded Rationality proved that because human cognitive resources are limited, "satisficing" is often the most rational strategy for survival.
   

The Linguistic Bridge: Smith observed a critical gap in human performance language. "Satisficing" (per Simon) often implies a tolerance for mediocrity ("it's good enough"), while "Optimization" (per Schwartz) often leads to resource exhaustion. Optificing™ was created to describe the "Sweet Spot" of The Giant: excellent enough to be remarkable, but delivered with speed.
 

3. The Science & Geometry: Why It Works
 

To understand Optificing™, we must look beyond psychology to Fractal Geometry and Evolutionary Biology.

The Fractal Insight (Attribution: Benoit Mandelbrot): While James Clear (Atomic Habits) popularized the idea that growth comes from small, 1% improvements, it was mathematician Benoit Mandelbrot who provided the geometric proof. Mandelbrot discovered that complex natural forms (coastlines, clouds, biology) are "Self-Similar"—they are the result of simple patterns repeated infinitely.
 

• Satisficing is a Straight Line: It connects Point A to Point B efficiently, but it has no depth. It is survival.
   

• Optimizing is a Perfect Circle: It seeks to smooth out all edges. But in nature, a smooth edge is a dead edge. A perfect circle cannot grow.
   

• Optificing™ is the Koch Snowflake: Concept derived from Helge von Koch and Benoit Mandelbrot.

  It takes a "Satisficed" shape (a triangle) and adds a new layer of growth to the edge. Then it repeats. It is always "complete" (closed loop) yet infinitely expanding.
   

The "Generator Equation": In the 12 Journeys, Optificing™ acts as the generator equation (similar to the Mandelbrot set equation $z_{n+1} = z_n^2 + c$). It takes the "Micro-mental" shift (the small step) and repeats it to create the "Monumental" result (The Giant).
 

4. The Conceptual Model: The Curve of Returns