Success Will Come From Simplicity

When things get tough, the tough start simplifying.  Sergei Brin has been quoted as saying, “Success will come from simplicity.”  Henry Thoreau (pictured) said, “Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify.”

Turning to Simplicity. One of the benefits of a shakeup, as we have had in our businesses and our lives over the past six months, is that we start to spend more time looking inward.  We also start to simplify.  We say, “I’m just going to keep things simple.” Life is so cluttered that the more we can un-clutter it, the better.

The Simplicity of Google. For example, one of the things that initially attracted me (and a lot of other people) to Google’s main search page is its simplicity: lots of white space, a minimal amount of text. When you make things more complex than they need to be, you invite problems. A famous principle called Occam’s Razor states (paraphrased): “All other things being equal, the simplest solution is the best.”

Simplicity in Your Business. The principle of simplicity relates to your business. Work on the KISS principle – Keep it Short and Simple. How can you get things done more simply?  How can you streamline processes and systems in your business to allow you to do less, not more?

Simplicity Saves Money. Keeping things simple also helps you keep costs down. That single-purpose all-in-one combination printer/copier/fax/scanner is a whole lot cheaper than four different products, and it keeps down the clutter. Food technie Alton Brown (of Good Eats fame) says you should never buy single-purpose kitchen utensils. Make one utensil do for many purposes. Simplify.

Simplicity Appeals to Customers. Keeping things simple also gives your customers a positive image of your business. People react negatively to clutter; when they walk into your business, they want to see things neat and clean and simple.  Having simple designs, simple products, simple forms can make customers feel calmer and more in a mood to buy.

How can you simplify your business? What can you live without?  Thoreau said, “A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone.”

One final quote from Thoreau to get you thinking about the effects of simplicity: Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.

Image source: psd@flickr