It’s a classic paradox: we require mental and cognitive stimulation to keep our minds active and thriving, yet our minds hate complexity.
But isn’t complexity the exact thing we all fall prey to from time to time, making things more complicated, detailed, and complex than they really need to be, forgetting the basics?
Here’s a fundamental life lesson:
Simplicity always beats complexity.
Complexity not only drains our mental and emotional energy, leading us down a path of overthinking and rumination, but also stops us from making the progress we want and intend to make.
Most of us learn this the hard way, trying to put too many pieces of the puzzle together all at once. If we just took a step back and accepted that simplicity always wins, no matter the area of our lives, we would meet far less resistance than is actually required.
A Simple Example: Health and Fitness
Let’s take establishing a new health and fitness routine as an example.
We can easily get bogged down in the nuanced details. And, trust me, from exploring this area in great depth, there are many. According to cognitive load theory, our working memory has a limited capacity, and when we pile on too much complexity, cognitive overload sets in, making it harder to follow through consistently.
Or, we can focus on the fundamentals, the basics, to achieve our goal, whatever that turns out to be.
My overall fitness goal is to run fast and far, and to be strong and mobile. The basics look like cardio a few times per week, resistance training three to four times per week, and some form of mobility training, yoga, for example.
But because I geek out on this stuff, I often get bogged down in all of the little nuances and details. I end up creating a complex exercise routine made up of more steps than I can count, leading to feeling overwhelmed, and not following through on it consistently anyway, before reverting to the basics within just a few short weeks.
Through that process, I’ve experienced more overwhelm, stress, confusion, and dysfunction for no purpose whatsoever. Which reminds me of a wise Buddhist philosophy:
Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional.
When Knowing Too Much Works Against You
But because I geek out on this stuff, it’s kind of fun. I get some sort of payoff.
My point being:
There are many areas of our lives that we complicate unnecessarily, at best.
We don’t need to add so much detail or complexity. Instead, we can focus on mastering the basics, which in most cases will lead to good-enough results.
Maybe that’s part of the problem.
We don’t like to accept good enough, especially if we have a type-A personality. We always want to be growing, striving, and making progress.
However, most of the time in most areas of our lives, good enough is okay. It’s more than acceptable, and it will lead us to reaching our goals and desired life outcomes.
Surely, that’s the main thing?
Rather than trying to make it, whatever it is, more complicated than it really needs to be.
That’s not to say we can’t explore different paths and geek out on things where we have natural curiosities. It is to say to be aware of when we’re shooting ourselves in the foot. And recognise when returning to the fundamentals, the basics, will help us stay on the path, or get back on track.
Using the 80/20 Rule to Simplify Your Life
This is where the 80/20 principle could come in handy. 80% of the time, focus on the fundamentals; allow 20% of the time for exploration.
Exploration allows for novelty and variety, qualities I feel are important yet underappreciated, and rarely spoken about, when it comes to cultivating and maintaining habits and routines over the long term. Especially when integrating lifestyle habits around sleep, exercise, and nutrition.
Both qualities can also lead to new areas of growth and progress in a more sustainable way, which doesn’t leave our minds frazzled by complexity.
Getting Out of Your Own Way
All of this is to say we can be our own worst enemy, making things, even life itself, more complicated and complex than they really need to be.
We’ve all fallen prey to this. It seems to be an innate part of the human experience.
The key is to catch ourselves when we do. To stop, pause, and remember that simplicity always beats complexity, then return to the basics.
First Principles Thinking: Strip It Back to Basics
It helps to think through the lens of first principles: to strip whatever we’re doing back to its bare bones. By doing this, we develop more of a bias towards action and actually showing up, actually doing the thing, rather than overthinking and ruminating, which is where complexity often arises.
In simple terms:
By focusing on the basics, resulting in a bias towards action, we create flow and reach our desired life outcomes. Because simplicity beats complexity. Every single time.
The Key Takeaways on Simplicity vs. Complexity
- Focus on Fundamentals in Health: Creating an overly detailed fitness routine can lead to cognitive overload and inconsistency. You’ll achieve better results by sticking to the basics, like regular cardio and resistance training, rather than getting lost in minor details.
- Embrace “Good Enough”: The desire for perfection often leads to unnecessary complexity. Accepting that learning the fundamentals yields “good enough” results is a powerful way to make consistent progress toward your goals without the stress.
- Apply the 80/20 Rule: To balance consistency with novelty, dedicate 80% of your time to the core principles of any habit or routine. Use the remaining 20% to explore new ideas, which keeps things interesting and sustainable in the long run.
- Use First Principles Thinking: When you feel overwhelmed, strip your task back to its absolute basics. This approach, known as first principles thinking, helps you bypass overthinking and encourages direct action, making it easier to get started and stay on track.
FAQs for Why Simplicity Beats Complexity Every Single Time
Why do I tend to overcomplicate my plans?
It’s a common human experience. Sometimes we believe more detail equals better results, or we get caught up in a desire for perfection. This often leads to cognitive overload, making it harder to act. Recognising this tendency is the first step to choosing a simpler path.
How can I simplify my fitness routine without sacrificing results?
Concentrate on the core pillars of your goal. For general fitness, this usually means regular cardiovascular exercise, resistance training, and mobility work. You can achieve significant results by learning these basics rather than creating a complex schedule with dozens of different exercises.
What is the 80/20 rule in the context of simplicity?
The 80/20 rule suggests you spend 80% of your effort on the fundamental activities that deliver the most results. The other 20% can be used for exploring new methods or adding variety. This keeps your routine effective and engaging without becoming overly complex.
How does simplicity help with procrastination?
Complexity often leads to overthinking and analysis paralysis, which are major causes of procrastination. By simplifying a task to its most basic steps, you lower the mental barrier to getting started. This creates a bias action, helping you build momentum and flow.
Is there a time when complexity is actually useful?
While simplicity is best for execution and consistency, complexity has its place during learning and exploration. Allowing yourself to geek out on a topic you’re passionate about can be fulfilling. The key is to separate this exploration from your daily actionable routines to avoid burnout.
