"Keep it simple"
© 2007 - 2009 Kendall SummerHawk
I'm always studying what makes people tick. What makes them get motivated, stay motivated, and take action. The opposite of course, is to be stuck, mired in over-thinking your options, and hesitant to move forward.
Which is why, for years, I've been enamored with simplicity. A simple lifestyle, a simple business model, and finding simple solutions to problems all grab and hold my attention.
I've found that complexity only breeds confusion. So I've trained myself to avoid complexity as being an energy-sucking albatross to success.
In fact, my flair for boiling things down to their simplest solution is a large part of my brand as the "Horse Whisperer" for Business. Great horse trainers use powerful, simple approaches to solving horse problems. It's when a trainer starts to use contraptions, devices, and ploys to "train" the problem out of a horse that all the real trouble starts. Before you know it, the original problem is buried under new problems caused by the so-called solutions.
That's when everything seems complicated.
Here are my 3 favorite techniques for keeping things simple, seeing solutions, and having a great time no matter what situation comes up:
Simple Technique #1 Start from scratch with what
you REALLY want!
Anytime a situation is feeling difficult I step back and ask myself,
"What do I really want here?"
That gets me focused on my ultimate outcome, not the process of getting
there.
Since it's usually the process of getting there that can feel complicated, focusing on the outcome gives you a fresh start and allows new potential solutions to spring to mind.
Simple Technique #2 Nip "Yes, but..." in the butt
One of the ways I know a business owner is making things complicated
is when I hear, "Yes, but..." to a possible solution. Those
"Yes, buts...." are closed doors to opportunities.
The answer to a problem is probably waiting cheerfully behind a door that hasn't been opened yet. The only way to open it is to consider all possibilities!
Simple Technique #3 Plan on pleasing one person,
not every person
I've noticed that what often complicates a situation is worrying about
what someone else will feel or think. Trying to juggle everyones'
needs is NOT your job.
My coach used to always tell me, "what honors you honors others." If a situation is feeling complicated, there's a good chance it's because too many people are involved. Focus on honoring yourself first. This isn't selfish; it's sacred!
Sure, things can get pretty complicated in a hurry these days. But if you follow these three simple techniques for embracing simplicity, you'll quickly find yourself breathing easy. It's as simple as that!
About the author:
Kendall SummerHawk, the "Horse Whisperer for Business" delivers smart, savvy ways entrepreneurs can turn their hectic business into a smooth-running, fun, 6-figure money-making dream. To learn more about her book, Brilliance Unbridled, and sign up for more FREE tips like these, visit her site at http://www.kendallsummerhawk.com
NOTE: You are welcome to “reprint” this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the “about the author” info at the end). I would also appreciate a copy of your reprint sent to kendall@kendallsummerhawk.com