SIMPLIFICATION
“subtract. combine. reduce choices. fix interruptions. sleep.”
The Lesson
Simplification techniques by domain. Writing: subtract adjectives and adverbs until meaning fails, then add back. Tasks: combine where possible-exercise with social life, two birds one stone. Choices: reduce options (one car, same shirts). Flow: fix any minor annoyance immediately, no matter how long it takes-flow interruptions devastate productivity. Perspective: most things you worry about turn out fine-the more you can safely ignore, the simpler life becomes. Sleep: more sleep means more capacity to handle complexity, making it feel simpler.
Real-World Example
A founder's life is chaos: multiple projects, cluttered workspace, constant interruptions. They simplify systematically: writing gets tighter (cut 30% of words), combine networking with exercise (tennis league), reduce wardrobe to basics, fix the squeaky door that's bothered them for months, accept that most worries resolve themselves, and prioritize sleep. Six months later: same workload, half the stress. Complexity didn't decrease; their capacity increased.
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