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I’ve been reflecting on this quote for a few years.

One of my favourites.

We use the word ‘elegant’ to describe a simple idea or solution.

Elegant also means ”graceful and stylish”.

I don’t think this is a coincidence, as the origin of the word is the Latin ‘elegans’ meaning ”pick out, choose”.

Simplicity isn’t the end goal.

We can see the benefits of simplicity everywhere...

• Using one headshot everywhere increases familiarity and trust.

• Having one funnel means having less to think about.

• A newsletter with only one link will get more clicks.

Yet, achieving simplicity can be challenging.

I often feel the need to add more...

Until I realize I’ve added too much.

How I Keep Things Simple

Whether I’m working on a writing, a design, a process, or a website…

I assess each draft:

• Are there any elements that don’t need to be here?

• What can I remove without decreasing the effectiveness of this?

I monitor any thoughts of adding something:

• Do I absolutely need this other thing?

• Will adding this cause complexity, confusion, or redundancy?

• Will this take away from what I’m already doing or is it better to double-down on what’s working now?

I realize that sometimes… just sometimes… a little more can be better.

• Will this make my identity more attractive, memorable, or trustworthy?

• Will this give the viewer a better sense of my purpose or values?

• Will this inject more of my personality?

It's all about finding that sweet spot…

Everything has its place.

No extra fluff.

🤖 Robert

P.S. Here’s a cool link to click.

Share this newsletter… and no one will know you secretly like pumpkin spice lattes.