Possibility v. Limitation

We are deep in the dark process of buying a London flat (apartment). Inevitably this oh-so-time-consuming process is happening as I'm busier than I've ever been.  Happily, my time poverty has forced me to identify a simple heuristic that has probably been there all along...

When I look at a potential place to live, do I first see possibilities or limitations?

Unless my initial, immediate reaction is 'possibility' I thank the estate agent for his time, turn on my heel and head back to the office.  If I experience no moment of excitement whatsoever when contemplating one of the biggest purchases I'll ever make then I'm in the wrong flat.   Life will force compromises aplenty on me before the sale goes through so I need to start with as much enthusiasm as I can manage.

I can look at other parts of my life through the same possibility / limitation heuristic.  I've pulled back from directing or performing improv comedy because where other, younger actors see infinite possibility in the form jaded old me sees only limitation.  Hopefully one day that'll revert and I can reimmerse myself in a craft I love but until then I stay away. Who wants to be cornered at the bar at the after show party with Captain Buzzkill?

It's important not to overthink the heuristic.  Perhaps in Daniel Kahneman's terms it would be System 1 (fast) thinking.  If the 'possibility' in a given project is that there's much money to be made then so be it.  But if any sense of possibility is overwhelmed in the very first instance by thoughts of 'limitation', be they artistic, social, moral, whatever, then the heuristic has spoken: the project ain't for you.