Key: Pursue simplicity. Declutter and maximize what matters.
Declutter, focus on what really matters, do more with less–Deep excellence allows you to go deep with less.
Some favorites quotes.
“In character, in manner, in style, in all things, the supreme excellence is simplicity.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
“It is always the simple that produces the marvelous.” – Amelia Barr
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” – Leonardo da Vinci
“The greatest ideas are the simplest.” – William Golding
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” —Aristotle.
- Simplicity has to do with focus. It starts with focusing on God and his kingdom as the sole pursuit of the heart.
- Simplicity is not against investing, owning wealth and financial resources, or controlling and managing wealth. A simple person can be a billionaire, like Warren Buffet, worth 109 billion dollars in June 2021 but lives a simple lifestyle that is equivalent to that of many middle-class Americans. Most of his money is found in his company, Berkshire Hathaway. That company own’s many other companies that provide jobs to many families and serves millions of people around the world. He is wealthy because he owns shares in that company. Those shares allow him to lead the company and make decisions that bless millions. He donates billions of dollars to charity as a result of interest and money he makes from those companies. Some people would think that if he were a Christian, he should give all the billions away. However, that will be unwise because the billions are not sitting somewhere in cash but are interests that control companies. If he were a Christian (and I’m not saying that he is) and was to sell those interests, they will just go to another human being who will own those interests. That human being could be an unbeliever who doesn’t use the proceeds to do good and doesn’t make decisions that impact the lives of millions of employees in a way that shows them God’s love through his generous provision for them and their families. So it’s biblically wise, if God were to give a Christian that ability to be like Joseph and manage it for the good of others and not give the managing authority away by selling the shares. The owner of the shares manages the company. Instead, the Christian should do what Warren Buffet does, live a simple life. Just because the master has put you in charge of much doesn’t mean he wants you to live large.
Wistia.com a company with simplicity as a value says the following which we also believe: “We strive for simplicity in all things: our product, our marketing, our processes, our business model, and our office space. It’s easy to layer on complexity, but achieving simplicity requires ruthless editing. The result is solutions that are beautiful in their efficiency and clarity, easier to understand wholly, easier to translate to different situations and scales, and easier to change later.”
Simplicity is first of the heart (a heart focused on God and his kingdom and nothing else); next it is simplicity of personal lifestyle–the way one lives–type of house, cars, clothes, vacations, etc.; next simplicity in business decision making and execution. You design products and services that are simple but not simplistic. That meet customers needs in an amazingly uncomplicated way.
Behaviors that foster this mindset:
- Live a simple, God-centered, lifestyle that avoids the trappings of wealth.
- Declutter–Insist on simplicity in all areas of life.
- Focus on what really matters and makes a difference.
- Do more with less (frugality).
- Focuses on the one thing that matters most. We can do more by doing less (focused excellence).
- Strives to be a role model at work and in the community.
- Embraces a healthy balance between work and family.
Q: Continuously ask yourself these questions: 1) How can I declutter, focus on what matters, and do more with less in this situation? 2) How can I make this situation better by bringing more than my personal best?“
Sample verses
- “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:31-33 ESV
Resources
- Freedom of Simplicity, book by Richard Foster
- The Spirit of the Disciplines, by Dallas Willard, chapter 9 and 10. Chapter 10 on “Is poverty Spiritual?” is especially informative.
- A year with God, Richard Foster has a section on simplicity
- Celebration of Discipline by Foster has a nice chapter on simplicity.
- Watch this video on simplicity by Jon Jandai. **We don’t agree with everything he says, but there is a lesson there. Excellence is simple, not extravagant.
