"Keep it simple."
I said those words constantly in 2012, usually while explaining a business opportunity that was anything but simple. The irony wasn't lost on me even then.
But the principle itself? That's proven to be one of the most valuable lessons of my entrepreneurial journey. Simplicity isn't just a nice-to-have. It's a competitive advantage.
Why Complexity Is the Default
Complexity accumulates like dust. Adding is easier than subtracting. It's easier to say yes than to say no.
Simplicity requires active effort. It requires the discipline to remove rather than add. It requires the courage to do less, better.
The Cost of Complexity
Cognitive load. Complex systems exhaust the people who use them.
Communication overhead. The more complex something is, the harder it is to explain.
Maintenance burden. Complex systems have more things that can break.
Decision paralysis. When there are too many options, people struggle to choose.
The Simplicity Discipline
1. Start with the Outcome
Before building anything, ask: "What's the simplest path to the outcome we want?"
2. Remove Before You Add
Often the better solution is to remove something, not add something.
3. Explain It to a Child
If you can't explain something simply, you don't understand it well enough.
4. Optimize for the Common Case
Design for the 80% case. Handle edge cases separately.
5. Embrace Constraints
Constraints force simplicity. Limited resources force you to find the essential.
The advice I gave in 2012 was better than I realized at the time. Simplicity has become one of my core operating principles.
