How a Lanyard and 16 Torx Screws Reminded Me of the KISS Principle

Recently, I was using my leaf blower when a lanyard got sucked in and jammed the fan motor. This particular leaf blower was held together by 16 screws, all with T20 Torx heads. Despite having an abundance of tools, I couldn’t find my T20 Torx screwdriver. After turning every tool case, drawer, and bag upside down, I finally had to go out and buy a new one.

Once I had the tool, I sat down and carefully opened up the leaf blower, methodically working to separate the two halves of the shell. When I finally accessed the fan motor, I realized the easiest solution was much more straightforward: snip the lanyard and pull it out. A task I could have accomplished without ever touching a Torx screwdriver.

This was a pointed reminder of the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) principle. But despite the detour, I appreciate the lesson. Disassembling the blower allowed me to understand the internal workings better, giving me confidence that I could handle any future repairs.

The obvious takeaway is to step back and evaluate the quickest, most efficient solution before diving in. But this experience also taught me that mistakes have value. I'm working on turning the broken lanyard into an art piece I can see from my desk as a reminder to keep things simple yet not shy away from a deep dive when necessary. After all, sometimes it’s in the journey that we gain the most valuable insights.