Script 1 (Revised): The 37% Rule: How to Make Big Decisions with Zero Guilt¶
- 1. Metadata¶
(Video opens with you, Pratyay, sitting in a comfortable, book-filled setting. The vibe is casual and engaging.)
PRATYAY:
Whenever I used to make a big decision, I always end up thinking, did I screw up? should I have waited for something better?
You pick the apartment, accept the job, say yes to someone... and the next day your brain whispers, “What if there was something better?”
[Visual: A person happily accepting a set of keys, but a cartoon "thought bubble" appears over their head with question marks and images of other, shinier apartments.]
It’s the fear of settling. That "what if" guilt that can ruin a perfectly good choice.
What if there was a way to know you made the best possible choice — and never second-guess it again? I’m serious. A scientifically-backed way to know you made the best possible choice, no matter the outcome.
This isn’t some vague life hack; it’s a proven algorithm from computer science, and it’s one of the best lessons from this book, Algorithms to Live By.
CORE CONCEPT¶
PRATYAY:
We’ve all been there. You're looking for something. A new flat, a new job, a new partner. The real problem isn’t picking — it’s knowing when to stop looking.
You can fail in two ways: by stopping too early on someone who’s just okay, or by stopping too late and watching all the great options disappear2.
This is a classic computer science puzzle called an "optimal stopping problem." And the solution is a beautifully simple rule of thumb: The 37% Rule33.
Here’s how it works. It’s a two-step process called the Look-Then-Leap Rule44.
Step 1: The "Look" Phase.
First, you figure out your total search window. Is it a month of apartment hunting? A hundred job applications? Ten years you plan to be on the dating scene?
Whatever that window is, you dedicate the first 37% of it purely to exploration55. You look at options, gather data, go on dates, attend interviews... but you do not commit66. No matter how great someone seems, you let them go.
[Visual: Animation of a timeline from 0% to 100%. The first 37% is colored blue and labeled "LOOK PHASE 👀". Several great options appear in this phase but are waved goodbye.]
This first 37% isn't about finding the one; it’s about calibrating your standards. You’re building a mental benchmark for what "great" actually looks like7.
Step 2: The "Leap" Phase.
After you cross that 37% threshold, your mindset changes completely. You are now ready to leap. The rule is: you commit to the very next person who is better than anyone you saw in your "look" phase8888.
[Visual: The timeline animation continues. The area after 37% is colored green and labeled "LEAP PHASE 🚀". A few mediocre options pass by, then one appears that is clearly better than anything from the "look" phase. A giant checkmark appears over it.]
So, if you’re apartment hunting for 30 days, you spend the first 11 days just looking. Then from day 12 on, the first apartment that’s better than anything from those first 11 days? You sign the lease. Done.
Same idea if you’re job hunting for 3 months — the first 5 weeks are just data collection. After that, the very next offer that beats everything before it? That’s your leap.
MID-VIDEO ENGAGEMENT¶
PRATYAY:
It's a simple, powerful idea.
Think back — ever taken a job or said yes to someone after comparing a few options?
Maybe you followed the 37% Rule without even knowing it. Tell me your version below.
PUNCHLINE & CONCLUSION¶
PRATYAY:
Now for the catch. And it’s a big one. Even when you follow this optimal strategy perfectly, your chance of picking the absolute single best option is… just 37%999.
That means there’s a 63% chance you won’t end up with the best of the best10. And that sounds… terrible, right?
Here’s the twist: even when math says you’ll “lose” 63% of the time — you’re still winning at decision-making. Because you stopped playing the impossible game of perfection.
This isn’t about guaranteeing perfection. It’s about having the best possible process. It takes an impossibly hard decision and makes it simple. It gives you peace of mind because you didn’t act randomly. You acted optimally. You did all you could, and you shouldn't blame yourself if things didn’t go your way.
So whether you’re swiping on an app or scanning job listings, you don’t have to guess anymore. Look for 37%, then be ready to leap. You followed the math, and that's the best you can possibly do.
CLOSING¶
PRATYAY:
What’s one decision you wish you’d made using the 37% Rule? Drop it below — let’s see how much regret we could’ve saved.
(Standard Channel Outro Music and Graphics Start)