“Out of clutter find simplicity. From discord find harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” Albert Einstein
Life is complicated and often seems to be filled with chaos. This chaotic nature of life can overwhelm the inner life if we allow it to.
Like a cunning thief, anxiety creeps into the inner life when chaos pervades. The only way to combat this phenomenon is through the power of the mind.
The greatest minds in history knew that if complex problems were to be solved, they had to be dealt with in the simplest terms, through first principles, laws of nature, and physics. This may sound complicated, but it is not. It’s, in fact, the opposite. Breaking a problem down into the simplest terms is the principled way to solve it.
Take for example the physician. When the patient arrives, she is asked for signs and symptoms so that the source of the issue can be identified and treated.
How about the complex mathematical equation? It must be disassembled piece by piece. Least common denominators are found, square roots identified, and factors are isolated. The problem must be broken down into its simplest terms so that the unknowns can be solved for.
When Peter Kaufman was explaining his master theory to some of the brightest minds at Caltech University, he explained:
“20,000 years of human experience on earth. You want to win a gold medal in the Olympics. You want to learn a musical instrument. You want to learn a foreign language…. What’s the formula? Dogged incremental constant progress over a very long time frame. Look how simple this is. This is above genius. It’s absolutely above genius because you can understand it.”
When an organization or team fails, the failure is analyzed. What are the executives or consultants searching for? The weakest link. Conversely, when a company is successful beyond belief, it’s studied by the greatest business minds on the planet. Why? The core strength is being sought out.
The key to all of this is simplicity. “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication,” according to Leonardo da Vinci.
And Albert Einstein left us with this statement to ponder. “God always takes the simplest way.”
So the next time you’re faced with a problem that seems overwhelming, try breaking it down into its most fundamental parts to find a solution.
And remember the wisdom of Einstein. “Out of clutter find simplicity. From discord find harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”
Have you taken inspiration from my writing? If so, consider helping me continue. I run on coffee and inspiration.
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