“Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity.”

Charles Mingus

There is such beauty in simplification.  However the natural order of things seems to be focused on making things more complicated.  In business it seems to be how folks justify their efforts and contributions.  I know I’m guilty far too often of this.  

It is fun to solve complicated problems, those are the things that stir the heart and engage the mind.  Though in recent years I will fully admit that true joy has come from finding ways to make the complex simple.  Maybe it comes from being a father and needing to find ways to explain things to my kids.  Perhaps it is wisdom that comes through experience and hard knocks.  Regardless, bringing clarity and focus through simple and uncluttered thinking adds so much value to life. 

Here are some sample questions to reflect when thinking through how to make the complicated simple:

• What is the single most important thing to focus on?
• What is the easiest way to solve this problem?  Fastest?  Best?
• Can I explain the solution is on a single page?
• What are the questions that WILL be asked?  How can I answer them as directly as possible?