Why I don't check unsubscribes
January 2023
The tool I use to send newsletters has these two options for notifications:
You’ll notice I’m opted out of the unsubscribe messages.
Here’s why: Our brains are wired to weigh losses more heavily than equivalent gains.
In other words, if you have $1,000 and I give you $100, you’ll likely say “Cool, thanks.” A mild, positive reaction.
If you have $1,200 and you lose $100, you will likely feel rage and despair. A much stronger reaction, even though the amount of change and the end state were identical.
As a human, I’m subject to this phenomenon. So I ask my email platform to send me celebratory GIFs when I get new subscribers … and just stay quiet when they leave.
What that means for you: You can subscribe, knowing that any future decision to unsubscribe will not hurt my feelings.
What it means for me: I’m closer to achieving the very unbalanced ratio of good news to bad news that my brain requires in order to avoid rage and despair.
So with all that said, 👇