One of my favorite mental models is Occam’s razor because I spend so much time struggling to follow it. Occam’s razor states, in essence, that the simplest explanation or solution is usually the best. But I’m a bright and creative guy. I start thinking, “Nah, it couldn’t be that simple.” So I get out my pad of paper or stand in front of my white board and start listing bullets and developing diagrams.
Kind of silly, right? But I bet if you’re bright and creative, you do the same thing sometimes. The brain has a funny way of adding complexity to our thoughts. When we allow this to happen, we expend unnecessary energy and waste time. I have a coffee mug on my desk printed with the words, “Hang on. Let me overthink this.” Why don’t I pay attention to its wisdom?
I make my living teaching people how to reduce the stress in their lives by making and fewer and better decisions. Yes, like many people, solving problems in a simple and concise way can elude me if I allow it. I admire people who are able to get to the essence or ask just the right question. When they do, I smack my head and think, “Why didn’t I think of that?!”
So how can you and I do this better? After all, we waste time and energy when we defy Occam’s Razor. Here’s are three things I do, that I have learned from some of the top, yet peaceful, performers I’ve met. See if you can adopt them as well, if you haven’t done so already.
First, shut up. Talk show host Larry King was quoted as saying, “I remind myself every morning that nothing I say this day will teach me anything. So, if I am going to learn, I must do it by listening.” A lot of the time, I’ve discovered that a solution to a problem is in the words of others. Whether it’s in a conversation or a meeting, let others speak first. Not only might they mention an effective approach, but you might also sense the group’s consensus about which way to move forward.
Second, put the problem in your “slow-cooker.” My colleague, Judy, taught me this a long time ago. In this seemingly rushed world, we tend to seek an immediate solution to every problem. In reality, we have ample room to consider solutions if we choose to take it. Ignore those around you who tap their foot waiting for an answer. Have the confidence to say, “I’m going to think about this a while. Then let it sit in the background as you go about your day. I’ve been amazed at the number of times the solution appears in the midst of totally unrelated thoughts. Don’t ask me to explain it. Just trust the process.
That brings up number three. Rely on your intuition. We all have a little voice narrating our lives. Problem is, we don’t listen to it especially when we think, “Nah. It couldn’t be THAT simple.” Don’t believe me? Read Dr. Gary Klein’s book, “The Power of Intuition.” He does a great job of explaining why intuition is one of the brain’s little superpowers.
What do you do to keep it simple when making decisions and solving problems? The rest of us would like to know. Put those ideas in the comments below.
Want more great insights like this? Subscribe to my weekly newsletter, Common Sense Insights. Just clink on the link in the description. I’m Bob Wendover.