Mastering Simplicity vs. Complexity: Strategies for Success in Business, Career and Personal Life

I did not learn how to drive until I was 25 years old. That is considered old, especially in Louisiana where individuals were driving at age 10 a few generations ago. Might not have been legal, and also, it took place in mostly rural areas. An interviewee once shared with me how she drove the family truck, as a child, to bring her grandmother the plate of food that her mother had prepared.

It did not matter if it was half a mile or so away, or her feet barely reached the pedal. That was life back then.

I admired her courage. She did not even think about it. She just did it, and that was often the case when we were children. To put it bluntly: We did not complicate life.

Life was simple. You enjoyed it.

Yet throughout my years, I always wondered why did things come easy for everyone but me — as it seemed so often. At various stages of our lives, the thought crosses our minds. But in my case, it was constant, and that made it an issue when it came to success.

To finally learn how to drive took an older boyfriend, and my father buying me a car. I secretly felt that he was probably tired of seeing me not doing much with my English-Journalism degree, and it was such a good deal. The car belonged to his girlfriend’s sister, and she never went anywhere. It had very low mileage, and that was how I became the owner of a black Ford LTD.

The car was humongous. But I had a patient teacher, and unlike opportunities I had in the past, I felt that I could do it! I could finally learn how to drive.

Getting from A to B was not so easy, however. But it led to me getting my first full-time newspaper job instead of only freelancing and waitressing after graduation.

With hands fixated on the steering wheel and eyes glued on the road, and driving in a straight line, never veering left or right, I found out that the Daily World was not that far from Lafayette.

And as fate would have it, the Opelousas newspaper needed a stringer to generate stories in Carencro, a small city between my hometown of Lafayette and its headquarters. They were hoping generating stories would generate subscriptions.

ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO BACK

While I conquered my fear of driving, I was back at Square One when it came to something as simple as putting gas in the car. I quickly realized that I could not keep waiting until I had a passenger in my car to suddenly pull up to a convenience store, and jump out to pay the attendant and ask them to start pumping the gas. Someone was bound to catch on.

And after I traded in my Ford LITD in for a Renault Encore, I realized that I could not keep going through yellow lights — and I confess, probably red also — because I could not learn how to go from first to second gear without my new car killing on me.

Why did life come easy for everyone else? Why was it a struggle for me? I even tried to attribute it to being left-handed even though we lefties love reminding others that we’re the only ones in our right mind. I wondered if being a southpaw was causing my creative impulses to interfere with simplifying my technical actions?

 

RECOMMENDATIONS: A WORD TO THE WISE

I envied others. Not jealousy, but a wish that I could be like others.

Why couldn’t life be simple?

Why did life seem so complex to me?

Was this much ado about nothing? But for me, it was much ado about something — about everything!

It was simplicity vs. complexity.

And I related life to my dreaded word problems in math that I read over and over, but never could learn how to create the equation. In college, I finally sought out a tutor for help. In life, you need a mentor.

 

CLARITY AT LAST!

I was wrong: Life was difficult for everybody. Not just me.

At the same time, life was easy. For everybody. But only — if — we are willing to immerse ourselves in its doing instead of standing on its sidelines, whining, procrastinating, or just giving up.

That was my big Aha! moment! Yes, we learn by doing. We learn by eating the elephant piece by piece. We learn by completing simple tasks that compound into action, power and success.

It was an eye-opening revelation that successful people were once in my shoes — my shoes! They were once upon a time at square one. But the difference between them and me was only that they had achieved clarity before I did.

Instead of complicating life, they simply simplified life.

They persevered.

And that — that was why life was easy.

Once you take action, you realize that whatever in life that you were procrastinating about or playing small about or complicating about is not so scary, not so difficult, not so humongous. And one day the question hits you: Why didn’t I start this earlier?

We should not scold ourselves, however. Life is a continuous learning experience. And we learn that life requires the right mindset and consistency. Understanding these principles means achieving success in your business, your career and your personal life — if — you implement them.

To help us with our implementation, here are simplifying strategies for success to take the complexity out of life — to simplify life. And most of all, to make life easy.

Here they are, compliments of ChatGPT,:

SIMPLIFYING YOUR BUSINESS

1. Automate Repetitive Tasks: Invest in tools that automate email marketing, social media scheduling, and invoicing. This will save you time and ensure consistency.
2. Streamline Your Offerings: Focus on a smaller range of products or services that resonate most with your audience, rather than trying to cater to every need.
3. Outsource or Delegate: Free up your time by outsourcing tasks that are outside your core expertise, such as graphic design, bookkeeping, or customer support.
4. Standardize Processes: Create templates and standardized workflows for common tasks (e.g., client proposals, onboarding, marketing campaigns) to reduce decision fatigue and improve efficiency.
5. Declutter Your Workspace: Keep your workspace clean and organized to reduce distractions and enhance focus on critical business tasks.
6. Embrace Digital Tools: Use cloud-based platforms for file storage, collaboration, and communication. This ensures everything is accessible and organized without clutter.
7. Set Clear Priorities: Establish clear goals and prioritize tasks that align with your business objectives, allowing you to focus on what truly drives growth.
8. Focus on Core Competencies: Identify the key areas where your business excels and focus on perfecting these. Avoid overextending by trying to be all things to all people.
9. Use Templates for Client Communication: Create standardized templates for proposals, emails, and reports to save time while maintaining a professional touch.
10. Leverage Analytics for Better Decisions: Regularly review analytics to make data-driven decisions, helping you focus on what’s working and cut out what isn’t.
    

 

SIMPLIFYING YOUR CAREER

1. Clarify Your Career Goals: Define where you want to go in your career and break down the steps needed to achieve those goals, focusing on skills or experiences that directly align with your vision.
2. Narrow Your Focus: Avoid spreading yourself too thin by focusing on a specific area of expertise or industry. Deep specialization often leads to greater career advancement.
3. Set Boundaries: Establish clear work-life boundaries to prevent burnout. Learn when to say no to tasks that don't align with your long-term career goals.
4. Build a Personal Brand: Consistently showcase your expertise, values, and passions online and offline, making it easier for others to understand your professional strengths.
5. Cultivate Relationships: Instead of networking with everyone, focus on building meaningful relationships with a few key individuals who can help propel your career.
6. Streamline Communication: Use concise and clear communication, both in-person and online, to ensure your messages are easily understood and actionable.
7. Keep Learning Efficiently: Invest time in continuous learning, but focus on courses, certifications, or skills that are directly relevant to your career growth and goals.
8. Seek Mentorship: Find a mentor who can help simplify career decisions, offering guidance and advice to reduce the noise and stress in your professional life.
9. Learn to Prioritize Tasks: Focus on high-impact tasks that align with your career goals. Use methods like the Eisenhower Matrix to identify what’s urgent and important.
10. Embrace Digital Tools for Career Management: Use career management tools or apps that track goals, networking opportunities, and job applications to keep everything organized.

 

SIMPLIFYING YOUR PERSONAL LIFE

1. Declutter Your Living Space: A tidy home promotes mental clarity. Regularly clean and organize your living environment to create a peaceful and stress-free space.
2. Implement Time Blocking: Block out dedicated times for tasks like exercise, meals, family, and relaxation. This helps you stay focused and prevents over-scheduling.
3. Set Personal Boundaries: Learn to say no to activities or commitments that drain your energy or don't align with your values, helping you maintain balance.
4. Use Minimalist Tools: Simplify your personal life by using apps or planners that help you track personal goals, finances, and routines in one place.
5. Prioritize Self-Care: Schedule regular self-care routines—whether it’s through exercise, reading, or hobbies—to help recharge and maintain emotional balance.
6. Adopt a ‘One In, One Out’ Rule: For every new item you bring into your home, commit to getting rid of something. This prevents unnecessary accumulation of stuff.
7. Be Intentional with Your Relationships: Invest in meaningful relationships and spend time with those who uplift you, rather than stretching yourself too thin with superficial connections.
8. Practice Mindful Living: Be intentional about how you spend your time and energy. Avoid multitasking and focus on one task or person at a time for greater clarity and satisfaction.
9. Create Routines and Rituals: Establish simple daily routines that bring structure to your day, such as a morning meditation or evening reflection, to reduce decision fatigue.
10. Limit Social Media and News Consumption: Set boundaries on your social media and news intake to maintain mental clarity and avoid overwhelm from external distraction.

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These strategies are vital steps to achieving simplicity in our lives. To quote Albert Einstein, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.”* And that is the key: We are striving for simplicity, not simpler. Big difference there. Our priceless award? To quote Brendon Burchard, “Clarity comes with simplicity.”*

Remember, there is no longer a need for envy, nor a need to wonder why things are easier for others and not for us. We accept that life is a learning curve, and that we must traverse its twists and turns. But despite obstacles and setbacks along the way, we emerge stronger! And success awaits!

*From Brainyquote.com

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I’m Ruth Anita Foote, an award-winning journalist, historian, author, and online entrepreneur — passionate about helping you enhance your business, career, and lifestyle. Whether you need writing, editing, research, or online business development, I’m here to support your growth. My goal is to empower you to elevate your success and make a lasting impact in your field. You can connect to all my social media platforms through Linktr.ee