“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

One of the most powerful things we can do in work and life is embrace simplicity. The irony of simplicity is that it’s easy to appreciate but hard to create. It takes effort and skill to make something simple, as Leonardo Da Vinci famously said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

The simpler something is, the better it works. A clear request is more likely to be followed. A simple system is less prone to errors. A simple life avoids the stress of overcomplication.

Yet, human nature often pushes us toward complexity. The ego craves it, making us feel smarter when we understand things others don’t. But the best thinkers and writers focus on clarity, crafting their messages to avoid confusion and maximize impact.

I’ve fallen into the complexity trap myself. Early in my podcasting / content creating journey, I tried to sound smart to cover up my insecurities. Over time, I’ve learned that simple messages are far more effective. Now, my goal is to take the complex world of self-improvement and distill it into themes and ideas that are easy to understand and apply.

This doesn’t just apply to how we communicate but also to how we solve our own problems. Overthinking creates more problems, and overcomplicating leads to wasted effort or disappointment.

As Tony Robbins says, "The quality of our lives is determined by the quality of the questions we ask ourselves." A powerful question to create simplicity is: What about this isn’t necessary? What can be simpler?

That’s what I tried to do with this article. Hope you noticed!