Comments on: Breaking through with Simplicity

By: linda

linda — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 10:28:23 +0000

Hi Ed,
As a hypnotherapist I see many people with a vast array of different problems . However instead of months of other methods, hypnotherapy is simplistic. The client usually holds the answers and a resolution is readily available with a little expert guidance in the right direction – as demonstrated in the video !

By: John Bryan

John Bryan — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:02:01 +0000

When I worked for a Local Council many years ago we were given various managment training which included promotion of the KISS principle which we were told translated to Keep It Simple Stupid. The move towards simplicity in local government was a forward looking move but it came unstuck due to the processes involved and people protecting their own patch which invariably meant making things more important and complicated so they could be seen as the experts and needed to sort out the complexity.

By: Jason Swart

Jason Swart — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 06:17:19 +0000

That’s valuable insight Ed, and something I will keep in mind.

By: Graeme Harvey

Graeme Harvey — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 09:20:40 +0000

I once was building a wall in my back garden, half way through my neighbour (a civil engineer) told me I was doing it all wrong. I followed his instructions and completed the wall. Three weeks later the part I built to his spec fell down during the night. 20 years later the part I built simply was still standing. I never forgot that lesson and fully agree with your comments Ed.

By: DEBORAH

DEBORAH — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:48:15 +0000

If only you get to the so called world leaders with this thought. they hide behind complicated in order not to improve things has been my thoughts for some time. Simple though they are.

By: TJ

TJ — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 06:58:20 +0000

Even more simple for me is to observe my feelings and ask,”Am I allowing or resisting?”

By: Ed Lester

Ed Lester — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 05:16:09 +0000

Thanks guys! both great replies and appreciated.

Sometimes it’s the seemingly simple things that turn out to be a little more complex.

If someone comes to see me to stop smoking and they’ve been smoking 20 cigarettes a day for 20 years, the solution is straightforward.

If someone only smokes 2 cigarettes a week on a Friday evening with a glass of wine – their weekly treat then that is generally a lot more complex to deal with.

This observation will resonate with anyone who’s done a lot of quit smoking work.

And it’s that counter-intuitive nature of the world that sums it up for me.

Whenever you find yourself saying something like ‘wow, this is a complicated problem” you should be standing back and looking for the simple process that will solve it.

Problems that seem very simple are the ones that should set off the alarm bells in my experience.

By: Jason Swart

Jason Swart — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 04:46:09 +0000

Andrea’s reply is beautifully simple and apt. My response can be further distilled to her even simpler answer.

I’ve definitely struggled with the tendency of over-complicating things. I think it can come, in part, from conditioning that leads us to believe that things have a natural tendency to become complicated.

But usually, it can be boiled down to reveal some way in which we’re clinging to something that wants to fall away.

So, to answer the question, I often ask myself “what am I clinging to that wants to be released?” Or “How am I trying to control something I’m unable to control?”

And, like Andrea said, under the need for control is fear.

Another good question is “How am I not honoring myself in this situation?”
(Again, comes from fear).

Cheers Andrea.

Jason

By: andrea

andrea — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 04:23:47 +0000

It can’t get more simple for me than this : –

When I ask myself ( in a situation / reaction / experience)

“Am I coming from love or am I coming from fear?”

I get the answer straight away and that always sheds the light I need.