Photo: Pixabay If you’re a regular reader of this column, you’re probably aware of my love of jigsaw puzzles. I was down to the last few pieces of what, for me, had been a very challenging 1000-piece puzzle. I could feel a familiar sense of accomplishment building inside me.
Humans have what’s known as a “completion bias.” We like to finish a task, because when we do, dopamine is released by the brain, making us feel good. It wasn’t until I sat back to take in the beauty of the finished picture that my eyes were drawn to the middle of the scene and a puzzle piece shaped section of white.
A piece was missing. Suddenly my satisfaction was gone. I looked on the floor and under the box.
Because the puzzle was new. The piece had to be somewhere. I remembered I’d moved the puzzle downstairs while we’d been away.
I searched in the basement. No luck. I asked my partner if he had seen the piece and when he said no, I sighed and remarked that I’d have to throw the puzzle out.
I went on to explain I would never buy a secondhand puzzle. I didn’t want to invest a lot of time in something only to discover it was incomplete. He just looked at me with an eyebrow lifted.
As is often the case, his expression got me thinking. Was I overreacting? Was the missing puzzle piece offering me an opportunity to learn something about myself? After considering the situation from a less emotional perspective, I accepted that the answer to both these questions was probably “yes.” If.
