Why Less Is Often More

The concept of “less is more” has gained popularity recently, transcending its roots in minimalism.  This idea can be observed in many areas, ranging from the resurgence of simplistic design aesthetics to the widespread popularity of decluttering guru Marie Kondo ...or in the renewed interest in Stoicism.  Minimalism has become an essential aspect of modern life, where people seek to simplify their lifestyles and focus on what truly matters.

The abundance of information and distractions vying for our attention has created a cluttered and overwhelming environment.  We can’t buy everything we see on TV, deep-dive into every interesting topic we learn about on the internet or track everything happening worldwide.  Our limited time and resources force us to choose and prioritize what truly captures our interest and deserves our attention.

In addition to the overwhelm created by the competition for our attention, it is becoming increasingly difficult to discern what is real and trustworthy because of deepfakes, intentional misinformation, and even the seemingly benign advent of AI-generated content that blurs the lines of reality.

The current state of information saturation and manipulation makes it imperative that we approach every piece of information with a healthy dose of skepticism and take the time to verify its authenticity.

Given these limitations, it’s only natural to prioritize and focus on what is relevant and meaningful to us, using our limited time and resources wisely.  The competition for attention demands that we exercise caution, discernment, and purpose in our choices.

There are two critical distinctions that impact your approach to information, as well as your sense of priority and choice of strategies and activities. 

 

The first is whether you are a Specialist or a Generalist.  It isn’t hard to imagine that these two types have pretty different reading lists, habits, and sources of happiness or fulfillment.

 

The second distinction is whether you are a Simplifier or a Multiplier (which is a concept that Dan Sullivan at Strategic Coach has written a book about).  To get to where you are, you’ve been successful at two things in your business career.  You’ve simplified things, which gave you an advantage.  And you multiplied things, which gave you an advantage.  Said a different way, as a simplifier, you took something complex for everybody else and made it simple.  And as a multiplier, you took something that was a new solution, and you had success multiplying it out in the world so that many people could get the advantage of your simplifications.

The truth is, while we all do both, we default to being primarily a Simplifier or a Multiplier. 

The best partnerships happen when you pair the two.  For example, amazing conversations happen when a simplifier says to a multiplier, “I’ve got this elegant solution ... What would you do with it?” Each has something the other doesn’t, and the combination is often exponential.

I am primarily a simplifier.  So, I tend to look for people or technologies to multiply what I produce.

I shot a video on the topic.  Click here to watch.

 

The internet and global digital economy enable you to find an audience for almost anything. 

No matter how far you niche down to find your true calling, there are likely people who are just as excited about what you do as you are. 

In an age where we’re inundated with attention-stealers and ways to spend our time, it’s helpful to remember that less can be more.