Pleasure or Satisfaction?

This week I had the opportunity to speak to a group of senior executives at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.  Since my keynote opened the session yesterday, I was able to sit back this morning and enjoy the talk presented by David Horsager, author of The Trust Edge. David’s speech threw a broad net across the trust topic but one of his observations really hit home.

David’s advice?

“Seek satisfaction, not pleasure!”

He offered two practical examples:

  • Seven scoops of ice cream would be pleasurable, but you wouldn’t feel satisfied if you ate them.  
  • You may not want to go to the gym and work out, but you would feel better afterward if you did. Even though it may not be pleasurable, it would generate health satisfaction.

Can you think of any other examples that support or refute the “satisfaction over pleasure” principal?