Simplicity is Power
Not to overstate the obvious, but world news is mind bending. A quick morning glance at CNN reminded me of this today. And next, I remembered my dear Dad “reading” the Chicago Sun Times on our sofa after work. In a flash, that front page was covering his face — breathing in and out.
Sometimes at dinner, we’d discuss the world. I was Confucius’ teenage child, paraphrasing 6th Century Chinese soundbites. Like: “Life is very simple. But we insist on making it complicated.” My father would hear me out. Then say: “Yeah, Lee, but it’s just not that simple these days.” But it still looked simpler to me.
So today, I got up from CNN and onto the floor. My thought was to stretch my back for a few minutes. Without falling asleep. Then I spotted a bug, like a baby ladybug, crawling across my floor. A first in this house. I didn’t move. I just kept watching. For maybe 10 minutes. It just made me happy to even notice the bug. She was just minding her own business.
Then how to end this blog came to me.
Aim to not argue for our complexities.
We’ve worked hard and long to learn and climb up and compete and value the achievements we are understandably proud of. I mean, who in business wants to be known as a “Simple Simon?”
The iconic director, Tim Burton, said, “I remember things from childhood. You start a certain way, and then you spend your whole life trying to find a simplicity that you had. It’s less about staying in childhood than keeping a certain spirit of seeing things in a different way.”
I love that. I discovered a profound and simple way to see things in a different way. To finding your simplicity. This is the solution I offer to complicated people from start-ups to a few of the biggest brands. I help them unite quickly with their highest and best beyond just their product or service features that was shrouded in a bit of over-complication. They become better CEOs, leaders, and creators.
Here’s something simple to try: Look around you for your version of something not noticed before like a lady bug to follow with your eyes or whole body. How does it make you feel to be with it this thing — full attention on?
It takes courage. And don’t worry: Simple is not the same thing as simplistic. Simple is power.