Once upon a time, a dragon sat on the top of a castle. No knight dared to fight because it could bite, burn, and do magic. One day, a knight rode to the castle and asked the dragon, “Do you need help to get down?” The dragon replied, “Please”. The moral of the story found on X: Don’t make your life hard; learn to keep it simple.
Paralysis by Analysis
One of my biggest realizations has been that I think too much. To be more specific: I tend to overthink. I consider all scenarios and factors for even simple tasks. For example, when planning my next shopping trip, I don’t just think about the shopping list but also the route, the best time to avoid the rush of retirees in the morning, but not being too late so that fruits and vegetables are sold out… I spend about 70% of my free time searching for the perfect movie or series on Netflix and the remaining 30% watching it. A few weeks ago, I performed something I call “The Socks Purge.” Long story short, after ending up with too many single socks without a pair, I donated all the single beauties and wanted to buy a few new ones. And somehow, I found myself in a 1-hour online search for the best socks based on reviews, material, production country, and sustainability index. Sometimes, I wish the cooling system of my head would shut down, and a green screen would appear with Shia LaBeouf saying: “Just Don’t”. You get the point. This tendency extends to my thoughts about emotions and the inner worlds of others. While empathy is one of my strengths, it can paralyze me, leading to endless brooding. I overanalyze emotions, people, and problems.
On Complexity and Trust
You might say, Sergey, you have too much time. Fair enough, I don’t sleep much. But there are several genetic, social, psychological, and cognitive reasons behind this behavior. I would like to discuss two reasons. One reason is the complexity bias — the tendency to prefer complex solutions over simpler ones. This bias is often based on the idea that complexity is equal to maturity and competence. We assume that the more difficult our plans or decisions, the better they must be. Big error, darling. I might not be the best shopping expert.
While we try to consider every option, the process leads to “choice overload,” a mental problem that occurs when we face too many options. We experience hard times making any decision. The constant flood of details and possibilities can cause decision fatigue. Instead of feeling happy with the many choices, we may feel stressed or even anxious, overwhelmed. And the worst part? Even if we decide, we may feel unhappy with our final choice (a side effect of having too many options to begin with). So, while you are trying to consider everything to find the best path, you are stopping yourself from taking any path at all. And when you finally take it, you regret it.
The second reason is trust, which may seem generic, but I think it’s quite important. Of course, no one should close their eyes and hope for the goodwill of the universe. But keeping things simple means having some confidence in our initial ideas. If you read my last article, I would say that your almond-shaped amygdala and CEO-like prefrontal cortex have already cooperated and made a good proposal based on your values and experience. Confidence can be hard to build. Like any form of trust, it takes time to grow. We need to trust ourselves, but also our partners, family, friends, and work teams — after all, we don’t make many decisions alone.
To summarize, we should recognize and apply “keep it simple” thought processes to reduce mental impediments, improve our well-being, and learn to trust ourselves.
Simplicity in Action
Don’t overcomplicate your feelings and how you read others, don’t overcomplicate your plans and actions, don’t overcomplicate shopping and the next project — don’t overcomplicate things and just do them. Take small steps but do them. Don’t get me wrong — I’m not saying that you should never plan anything in detail again. Of course, not — any big decision needs planning and weighing of many arguments. My wife and I are currently planning our first vacation with two kids — we must discuss many details and scenarios that will affect our daily routine or packing list. Without it, we would be soooo lost — even on the way to the airport. However, when I say, don’t overcomplicate things and just do them, I mean the basic attitude that we can often apply throughout the day. Take it as a fundamental philosophy or one of your values. If you see that it doesn’t fit the situation, you can always consider other options. Here are some examples of when you can apply this mindset:
Our emotional lives benefit from simplicity. Overanalyzing feelings and relationships create a labyrinth of emotions. Trust plays a crucial role here. When we trust ourselves and others, we can simplify our emotional interactions. This doesn’t mean ignoring complex emotions but rather addressing them in a straightforward, honest manner. Clear communication and mutual understanding turn emotional madness into meaningful connections.
Same goes for the general communication. You and your partner, your friends, or your colleagues need to talk honestly and act openly. If you stress over everything you say or do, you’ll end up confused and anxious. By being nice and attentive (also empathetic, as you read in my previous article), your relationship grows easily. This makes you both trust and respect each other more.
In work life, think of your desk. If you’re like me, opening 500 tabs, writing post-its, checking files, and calling your team can lead to information overload. From an outside perspective, it seems like you have taken in all the information and perspectives. But during it all, you can quickly lose focus. We face a paradox of planning: the more detailed the plan, the more difficult it becomes to execute. Break down your goals into small steps and prioritize tasks that directly contribute to your initial idea. This not only makes the plan easier to follow but also reduces stress.
Lastly, “keep it simple” can be a whole lifestyle. Who has watched “The Minimalists: Less Is Now” on Netflix or read the book? Or watched “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo”? It’s amazing, and there are many more things in it, but for me, the main statement was that keeping it simple starts not only in our heads but can also be applied to our homes. Minimalism as a mindset encourages focusing on what truly matters and eliminating the rest. If you can’t find peace in your mind, start with your wardrobe. Ok, I’m a little bit proud of the last sentence.
As you see, the common thread in these examples — from emotions to wardrobe — is that simplicity allows us to focus on what truly matters. We can make better decisions without becoming paralyzed by details. For instance, when faced with a significant life choice, like changing careers or moving to a new city, focusing on core factors such as values, goals, and well-being simplifies the decision-making process. This approach brings clarity and confidence.
Your Takeaway
“Keep it simple” doesn’t mean abandoning a strategic outlook. Simplicity and strategy go hand in hand. A straightforward strategy helps achieve goals without unnecessary details. Once, I heard this saying: “The more direct the route, the easier it is to follow.” By setting clear objectives and/or focusing on essentials, we move forward with purpose and confidence. The same goes for your emotions, communication, relationships, homes, and work desks.
Conclusion
Achieving simplicity is not about cutting corners or avoiding effort. It’s about refining our approach to focus on what truly matters. Adopting a “keep it simple” or “approach it with simplicity” mindset can transform our lives. By recognizing and overcoming our complexity bias, we can make clearer decisions and create effective plans. This mindset helps manage anxiety and avoid feeling overwhelmed. We learn, step by step, to trust ourselves more because we recognize that we can achieve amazing things, which may seem unrealistic. As Steve Jobs once said, “Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”
Embracing simplicity is a way of thinking that requires continuous practice. Clearing away “the unnecessary” leads in my opinion to peace and clarity. It’s crucial to understand that this mindset is not a one-size-fits-all solution. People have different needs, preferences, and cognitive styles, so it’s important to tailor simplicity to individual circumstances.
I believe there is elegance in simplicity. I don’t want to say that on our way to becoming good humans we must always search for the simplest solutions, but it is one effective way to improve our own lives and prosper through growing self-confidence and self-empowerment. We create a certain beauty that highlights what truly matters. So, the next time you face dragons or socks, keep it simple. And finally, if you doubt me, remember that Avril Lavigne already asked us in 2002: “Why’d you have to go and make things so complicated?”
Sergey
Reflection on my writing experience
If you enjoy my writing, keep reading. Otherwise, the main article ends here. In the following, I share some thoughts on the feedback I received from people who read my article, as well as personal insights on how to improve my writing.
How do I get ready? I’ve found a rhythm that works for me: writing in the evening. This allows me to sleep on my draft and think about improvements during the following day(s). I’ve also started using WhatsApp to chat with myself and document ideas.
How do I write? I’ve been trying to utilize GPT more. My focus has shifted towards better structuring of ideas and enhancing clarity. I use AI for spell-checking and ensuring my writing is concise. Used to rely on the “Editor” provided by Word, but GPT feels much more convenient. And, I need to revisit the punctuation rules in English! It feels counterintuitive to place a period or comma before quotation marks, rather than after them.
How do I post on Medium? I need to learn how to use proper tags and explore more about “publishing channels.” I already follow a few, and some are even open to new writers. This could be a great opportunity to engage more with the community. But first, I need to understand how it all works.
