KISS Me. Huh?



Keep It Simple & Stupid

Keep It Simple & Stupid (#KISS).  Many folks with whom I have worked over the years abhor this admonition. For them, the world is ever more complex.  To them, I say: "complexity is nothing more than an obscuring of reality".  The truth is that we make our lives more complex (and complicated) then they need to be.

I recognize that this statement may cause quite a bit of discomfort for many.  I can hear the grumblings now: "Yeah, those who keep it simple ARE stupid", and from the 1994 film Forrest Gump: "Stupid is as Stupid does".

Those reactions are to be expected.  May I suggest that those kinds of reactions my be sabotaging us.  The projection of complexity is very appealing to the busy/active mind.  The more difficult our problems appear to be, the more complex we believe the solutions ought to be.  And when those problems are solved through complex solutions...how sweet it is. 

May I suggest the next time a difficult challenge manifests, apply Pareto's Principle. That is, apply the 80/20 rule.  Remember to focus on the 20 percent that matters. Those 20 percent typically produce 80 percent of the results.  When the urgent and unimportant begin to sap your time and energy, remind yourself of the 20 percent. By doing so, you may get a glimmer of what Paul referred to as "the peace that surpasses all understanding" (Philippians 4:7).