Why “Keep it Simple” is the Best Advice
and How You Can Actually Do It (Without Losing Your Mind)
You know, talking is easy. Like, ridiculously easy. It’s just moving your lips and making noise. But talking in a way that actually makes sense to another human? Now that’s where it gets tricky.
Because simplicity, is anything but simple. It’s like trying to put socks on a chicken — surprisingly difficult and not as straightforward as it seems.
Let’s play a game. Tell a story in five sentences. Got it? Now trim that down to three sentences. Easy? Now do it in two. How about one? Oh, and it still has to make sense. Starting to sweat a little? Yeah, welcome to the world of simplicity.
Flashback to about a decade ago — I was a copywriter at an ad agency, doing things that would make a normal person’s brain cramp. My job? Take a client’s 20-page, cure-for-insomnia product description and turn it into a slogan with a word count you could use on one hand.
Because, let’s face it, no one has the time or patience to read 20 pages of why your toaster is the second coming of sliced bread. But a good slogan? That can sell anything. It’s magic, really.
Step one to simplicity:
Stop assuming everyone thinks like you. Because, newsflash, they don’t.
In fact, there’s a tiny chance they don’t even think at all. So, don’t try to be clever; try to be clear. Unless your target audience is a group of rocket scientists, leave the complex stuff for the Mensa meetings.
Look at the big brands that nailed it:
- IKEA: “Beds to the right, Kitchen to the left.”
- Nike: “Shop by sport — Basketball, Golf, Football.”
If a five-year-old can get it, you’re golden.
Because if you can get through to them, you’ve cracked the code to communicating with the rest of humanity.
Step two to simplicity:
Everything we love — really love — is simple. Think about it: a smile, a hug, a Netflix marathon. Simplicity is universal, except if you’re the type who enjoys deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs on a Saturday night.
And guess what? Your customers are just like you. They’re willing to pay good money for simplicity.
Let’s test it! Here’s a choice for you:
A) Buy a Chinese cookbook (in chinese) and spend hours decoding it just to make some soup.
B) Have someone make it for you while you kick back and relax.
Which one would you pay more for?
Not exactly rocket science, is it?
Step three to simplicity:
Brace yourself, this might blow your mind:
The key to success is finding a way to make things
- faster,
- simpler,
- and — because of that — cheaper.
That’s it. That’s the secret sauce. Period.
Doesn’t matter if someone else thought of it first.
The question is, can you do it simpler?
Like the guy who made a killing by speeding up the loading time of website photos by 10–20%. This is a true story Bro, I know him personally. Where there’s a massive database, every second counts. Not an easy job, but definitely worth it. He makes a fortune with this simpler solution.
Takeaway
We might all be different, but we do have one thing in common:
our love for simplicity.
We crave it, we chase it, and yet, we still have this weird compulsion to overcomplicate everything. So here’s a little life hack — keep it simple.
Use things simply, explain things simply, and success will follow you like a lost puppy.
And that, my friend, is as simple as it gets.
Levi
