SIMPLE IS HARD – Focus Is Everything

In my experience, there are two primary reasons why we overcomplicate things. The first is a loss of focus. When you lose touch with why you’re doing what you’re doing, you inadvertently sentence yourself to trivial pursuits.  The second is that we fool ourselves into thinking that more complex means better.

In this post we’ll FOCUS our efforts around the value and importance of being focused in your thinking, planning and execution.

FOCUS helps to simplify

In a recent blog post by John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing he talks about why simple is so hard. He challenges entrepreneurs and business professionals to be so focused in their message, in the value they offer, the solutions they provide, that they can narrow the statement to one simple phrase:

Open your business up and ask yourself how you could land on one easy to understand and communicate thing that you stand for. One simple, single purpose for doing what you do. One audacious innovation that takes people’s breath away. Don’t complicate it, no matter how trivial it feels.

To be focused in your message, you have to be focused in your efforts as well.  Chris Brogan starts each year off with three words that represent how he will approach his business for the year.  Although his words were selected in January and this is August – it is never to late to DECIDE to be focused in your business approach.  Once you’ve determined your three simple words that represent your goals, ask yourself this question throughout the day: “Is what I’m doing right this minute a reflection of those three words?”  If not – you may be making life more difficult than it needs to be.

Having trouble getting started? Leo Babauta offers 10 tips to simplify your life. My favorite? Drop one commitment.  We all have found ourselves saying “yes” when we meant to say no. Look at your list of commitments. Is there something you can take off the list that doesn’t move you in the direction of accomplishing your goals; personal and professionally?  Give yourself permission to cross it off!

Henrik Edberg penned a post in which he outlines 10 Common Mistakes We Make When we Think. I love this article because he not only identifies the problem; he offers specific solutions. There are a couple of favorites on this list, but the first mistake – over thinking – is classic.  We analyze a problem, opportunity or task from so many directions that we talk ourselves out of making a move, thus making something that should have been simple – HARD!

I challenge you to rethink how you view your business and even you life.  Are you spending more time multi-tasking and less time accomplishing?  Start today by focusing your efforts on one specific goal.  Think “simple.” 

Stop back – next time we’ll ask the question – does complicated mean better?

Comments

[Rob Bunting]

Great tips Robert. I often myself trying to keep up with all the commitments I have and often find myself asking "Is doing this helping me reach my goals and therefore worth my time and effort?".

I think your emphasis on keeping messages simple is right on. It reminded me of Andy Sernovitz' teaching that messages must be simply to be spread easily. If the message is too complicated, it's harder for it to be spread to others.

[Patricia Weber]

Interesting article. I love your ideas as well as embedding so many other resources. Thanks.