The other night, I had an inspiring conversation with my brother. His perspective on life and work is both motivating and thought-provoking.
We come from a family of optimists—we’ve always understood that life’s rewards aren’t just handed to us. What we put in is what we get out. Staying positive no matter what's in front of us is a must.
One thing he has always said that sticks with me: “Life is simple. It’s us that make it complex.”
At first, it sounds like an oversimplification. But the more we talked, the more I realized how true it is. We overcomplicate things—whether in life, relationships, or business. We pile on unnecessary layers of worry, hesitation, and overthinking. But when we strip all that away, the answers are often right in front of us. They may not always be the answers we want, but they’re there.
The Business of Simplicity - This idea of simplicity isn’t just philosophical—it’s practical. In my career, I’ve seen how complexity creeps into everything. Processes become tangled, teams lose focus, the shiny object taunts us, communication gets buried under unnecessary details, and egos get in the way – the list could go on.
However, when we focus on simplicity, clarity follows. Solving a problem starts with finding the root cause. A temporary patch might seem like a fix, but if the core issue remains, you’ll be back at it six months later. That’s not problem-solving—it’s just delaying the inevitable.
And, then there is the “scrap and start over”. This is when no one wants to deal with finding the root cause and instead the thought of just starting over and rebuilding comes into play. This start, stop, rebuild, repeat only causes more complexity and confusion.
Stepping Back to Move Forward - Next time you face a business challenge take a step back and ask some basic questions, such as:
What’s really causing the issue? Not just the symptoms, but the root cause.
What obstacles are in the way? Are they real or just perceived?
How difficult will it be to remove the obstacles?
Where can small, simple improvements make the biggest impact? Do we have an appetite for such improvements?
How can we come together to create real, sustainable change?
How will we hold ourselves accountable to see it through to “completion”?
When we simplify, we create space for real solutions. We open the door for creativity, efficiency, and progress. Leading a business or a team doesn’t have to be as complicated as we sometimes make it. I’ve been involved in many team reorganizations, and simply by listening and observing rather than jumping immediately to a diagnosis, the right path forward often becomes clear.
Next time you find yourself buried in complexity, remember my brother’s words: Life is simple. It’s us that make it complex.
Step back, cut through the noise, and find the simplest path forward. And when you get there, take a moment to appreciate it—stop and smell the roses.
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