The Depth of Simplicity

Once, at a party, a lady approached Pablo Picasso and requested a painting. Picasso gladly fulfilled the request, drawing a piece of art for her on a piece of paper.

Mesmerised, the lady thanked him. As she was leaving, Picasso stopped her and said, "My lady, that will be $1 million." She exclaimed, "A million dollars? Mr. Picasso, it took you 30 seconds to draw that painting!"

Picasso smiled and replied, "Yes, my dear, but it took me 30 years to do that in 30 seconds."

I first heard this story from Robin Sharma, and it has stuck with me ever since. I've narrated it in many of my talks and discussions as an analogy, and it always resonates. Its significance has grown over time, especially in today's world, where everyone seems to want quick success, immediate results, and instant learning.

In my last blog, I received feedback from some that it was a bit lengthy and complex analogy. Reflecting on this, I realized that, like loss and win, happiness and sadness, simplicity and complexity, long and short are two sides of the same coin.

One cannot exist without the other. Imagine if Steve Jobs hadn't lived his 50 years before summarising his "Connecting the Dots" story during his commencement address at Stanford University, which continues to mesmerise us. Or think about how doctors prescribe medicine: their ability to diagnose and treat comes from over a decade of study and practice, distilled into one small prescription.

In short, while we're all captivated by the sheer volume of information available through short mediums like reels and Instagram, we must remember that this brevity is supported by a long journey of experience and effort.