KISS or Keep it Super Simple
The late Vince Lombardi, coach of the Green Bay Packers was once asked why his championship team ran such a simple set of plays. He said, “It’s hard to be aggressive when you’re confused.” I often wonder how many people are confused due to the complexities in their daily lives. I know I get confused merely listening to the goals some people hope to accomplish in a day, let alone in a week, month or a year.
My life is a system. That is what I have been telling myself and my husband for years. In reality, I live my life with a creative plan that allows me to simplify things. I weed out, delegate and eliminate all activities that don’t add to my goals. I try hard to handle things in the moment. Here is an example, today I made a Costco run and purchased supplies for my household. Most of the items I bought are stored in the garage. When I returned home I backed my truck into the driveway and began cleaning the garage. Sweeping, shop vacuuming spider webs, wiping down the washer and dryer, cleaning the outside fridge and pulling items off the shelves that needed to go to charity. As I unloaded and put away the supplies from the bed of my pickup truck, I began loading the items I had collected for charity.
After taking a 30 minute coffee break outside with my husband on this warm sunny January day, I drove down to Goodwill and gave them my donations. The entire process took about 2 hours. Now remember, I had a 30 minute relaxing coffee break while sitting outside in the sunshine conversing with my husband.
I simplify my life by combining tasks. In just two hours the garage, fridge, washer, dryer, floors, laundry rug and shelves got cleaned. The shelves got organized, my supplies were put away and items were taken to charity. Most importantly, I enjoyed relaxing in the sunshine while visiting with a loved one.
You might be thinking, “this does not sound simple to me, sounds like a lot of work.” I will let you in on a secret. When you have a plan that is “strong and simple” there is less confusion therefore, the task is more likely to get done. It is hard to stay motived when you are confused. When you simplify your life, it gathers focus. The more you can focus on your goals, the more motivated you feel. The more motivated you feel the more things you will accomplish.
In closing, my mother always told me and my sister, “everything in your room needs to have its own place or else I’m getting rid of it.” It was her way of making sure we cleaned our rooms while keeping inventory of our belongings. Figure out your system and decrease the confusion in your life. Remember to KISS-Keep it Super Simple.
