Many of you know that I took a 5400 mile ride on my Harley in August from Florida to South Dakota through Moab,Utah the Colorado Rockies then home. I was gone for 14 days. For two weeks I had my bike, a bag strapped to my sissy bar and a back pack. Had the time of my life and never missed the stuff and complexity of “home.”
Yesterday I spoke for the leadership team of a company in St Louis. Before I spoke the CEO got in front of the group and said, “our mission has been and will continue to be SIMPLE, take care of customers and develop our people.” Since I left on the trip I have continued to receive the same message over and over. Simplify, simplify, simplify!! I know, some of you are saying it’s not that easy. Trust me, I know it’s not. Whether it’s at work or at home your life and work could be simpler. Just admit it! Sure it will require some tough decisions, some letting go of things, some difficult conversations and a reevaluation of your lifestyle or work habits but the rewards will be worth it. In the hurried pace of the world we live in it is easy to get caught up in the pace and to unintentionally add complexity to our lives. If I was able to get clients to do just one thing it would be to streamline, simplify and untangle their businesses. The same wish applies to home. Simpler isn’t always easier in fact sometimes it’s harder….at first. Before you surrender or even believe things are as simple as they could be take another look. You will be glad you did. Here are a few steps to get you started.
1. Take a look at you job. Where could you make it simpler (not easier). What are some steps that could be taken out, a meeting that could be eliminated or a process that could be refined.
2. Do the same in your personal life. What could you get rid of that would simplify your life, stuff you could get rid of, activities you could eliminate etc.
3. Don’t do it all at once but be courageous enough to start small and increase your simplification process as you go.
4. Experiment, often people won’t simplify because they are afraid or over rationalizing. So try it for 4 weeks or longer and see what happens.
5. Be courageous!
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