The purpose of simplicity

What mountains are you trying to move?

On Tuesday in The Power of Simplicity I quoted Steve Jobs who talked about the power of simplicity to help you focus on what's important. That's the true purpose of simplicity. Because simplicity isn't just about keeping your head clearer and making your life easier. Its real power lies in enabling you to focus on what truly matters to you in life and at work.

Simplicity enables purpose

Without purpose you have no framework for deciding what is important and how you spend your time, energy and resources.

You fritter your time away watching YouTube videos; when you should be writing a presentation.

Without purpose you are at the mercy of events, distractions, things that seem fun to do now that, perhaps, you might come to regret later.

Stopping off at the pub with work colleagues; when you should have gone home to your loved ones.

Without purpose you are simply 'paying the bills and then we die'.

The biggest regret of the dying as discovered by the palliative care nurse Bronnie Ware; "I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me."

Purpose is your North Star

If you are lost, uncertain, lack focus - keep it simple and follow that North Star, whatever it is.

Purpose can be as substantial as what life you want to live:

“To be a teacher. And to be known for inspiring my students to be more than they thought they could be.” - Oprah Winfrey

“To have fun in my journey through life and learn from my mistakes.” - Richard Branson

Or as simple as what you and your colleagues agree you've set out to achieve:

"We're launching the website next Thursday and all of our focus needs to be on that."

Purpose helps you make the decisions that simplify

To bring your purpose to life all of us need to decide what to do less and more of - do the things that matter and cut out the things that don't. Purpose prioritises.

Purpose enables and empowers you to sift through option and decide upon the single best option. Because, if you have a list of many reasons to do something, you are simply trying to convince yourself. Keep it simple and focus on what serves your purpose best.

Make it binary

Let me tell you a story from three years ago about how you can create greater simplicity in your life.

They sat in the hallway. Gleaming white. A reminder every morning of possibility. As I tripped over them returning late in the evening, probably drunk, they reminded me again. This time about what I hadn't done. Eventually they got pushed to one side, buried amongst shoes and muddy boots. They were my sparkly new trainers. Unused. But they were more than that. They were my hopes of getting fitter, getting back into shape, feeling more alive. Then one day something inside me snapped. I pulled them out from underneath a heap of shoes. Shaking them, a mouse fell out. I kid you not. Alfie the cat had been persecuting the poor thing and it had crawled into my trainer to die. Much like my dreams of fitness and vitality. Until now. Lacing them up, I'm out the door. Step follows painful step follows painful step. The next morning I ache but I'm out again. Then the next morning. Morning after morning until it becomes a joy, and I have become a runner again.  

Most resolutions fail. Most decisions to change your life are started and never completed. You know why?  

Because we are weak.

Our biological programming is designed so that we conserve energy. Take the easy route. Do nothing, if possible. This made sense when the timing of your your next meal was uncertain but isn't helpful now when you are trying to shift a few pounds.

Your purpose may be powerful but it will take discipline every single day to make it a reality. Nothing you want that is valuable and important will come easy. You will have to pay the price, whatever it is. Any "get there quick" route is likely to be a sham. If you are following your North Star there are no shortcuts. Never cut corners. Ever.

You might not like what I have just said. But it is the truth. A truth that so many people who write about self improvement don't say clearly enough. They tell you to do things like "follow your bliss", or "reconnect with supportive friends". This is of no help to you at 5am in the morning when every fibre of your being is saying, "Stay in bed, it's warm and cosy. You can run another day." Another day that is unlikely to come. Your North Star is yours alone. You are alone in most of the moments when you are at your weakest.

At 5am one thing will help you. One thing is black and white, not up for negotiation, and crystal clear that you have succeeded. Or failed.

Rules.

Rules are binary. You've either stuck to them or broken them. "I will run every weekday morning" says exactly what it is. "But I've got a big presentation today, and don't have time". OK that might be true but you've just introduced a new condition that wasn't part of the original deal. If you feel you need wriggle room, then decide in advance - "I will run every weekday. Except when condition A, B, C. Decide those conditions in advance and don't add new ones when you don't want to do what you know you should.

Rules help make self discipline simple, and so a little easier. During this week I have decided to eat no carbs. That pile of rice I could have eaten on Monday. Failure.

We are pre-programmed to take the easy route but the easy route won't get you to where you really want to be.

When I was young I used to like 'breaking the rules'. They weren't meant for crazy creative people like me. Turns out that rules simplify and create structure, and with that structure you can focus on achieving your dreams. And so, unlike the mouse, those dreams don't have to curl up in a dark place and die.

Simplicity is powerful because with it you get to be, do, have and create whatever matters most to you.

You get to move mountains.

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This article is a follow up from The Power of Simplicity

Next week I'll be writing about resilience - endurance with direction - a powerful enabler when you are moving your mountains. Message me if you've something to share on that.

Check out www.magnuswood.com if you find this helpful, and please share this article with anyone who wants a simpler more purpose-filled life.