“Focus and simplicity…once you get there,
you can move mountains.”
– Steve Jobs
It almost seems counterproductive to think that simplifying can make a difference in achieving the results you desire. Instead, we tend to overly complicate things. If we add this embellishment or that (time intensive) detail, we think the outcome will be so much better.
Think about a project or task where you’re stuck or plodding or avoiding. What can you do to disentangle from the weeds and cut back the complexity?
This may be more difficult than you think, especially if your habit has been to overly complicate tasks or projects when the going gets tough.
But, one idea for simplifying is to start with the end in mind and work backwards. Consider this scenario:
+ What is the goal or result that you want to achieve from the project?
+ What is the last step that you’d need to take to achieve that successful result?
+ And what would you need to do right before that step?
You get the idea. Work backwards until you arrive at your present state. This method is actually a form of strategic planning adapted for this example. Any time you start with the end in mind and work backwards, you can achieve amazing results.
By working this way, you simplify by focusing on the essential steps.
When you work this way, you cut out a lot of unnecessary clutter. And, since you’re working backwards plotting each of the previous steps, you have a cleaner plan and one that is much easier to stay focused.
Header image by Mark Arron Smith at Pexels.
