“When you first start off trying to solve a problem, the first solutions you come up with are very complex, and most people stop there. But if you keep going, and live with the problem and peel more layers of the onion off, you can often times arrive at some very elegant and simple solutions.”
Creating simplicity isn’t simple. Devising a simple solution to a complex challenge is often the result of a long period of reflection, doubt, and experimentation.
Take tag lines for example. To sum up a brand’s promise or position in a few simple words is no easy task. Nike’s “Just do it” and BMW’s “The ultimate driving machine” are only simple in retrospect. Getting there took real work.
The first solution is often the worst solution. In the interest of speed, most people will settle for the first idea that seems to meet the requirements. This is especially hazardous when you’re trying to differentiate yourself. What comes naturally after a little thinking to you is probably also what has occurred to anyone else who has wrestled with the same question. This type of quick simplicity yields a cliche: “a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought.”
There’s evidence that the subconscious mind can puzzle out solutions while you sleep. This year, give yourself the luxury of living with a problem a little longer than you ordinarily might. Recognize the first few solutions, while viable, may be the least innovative. When it comes to simplicity and innovation, the “low hanging fruit” tends to be rotten.
