We live in a world that constantly pushes us toward more. More features, more options, more stuff. Somewhere along the way, we started equating complexity with sophistication and abundance with success.
But what if we've got it backwards?
The Complexity Trap
I used to think that adding more features made things better. More functionality equals more value, right? But I've come to realize that the opposite is often true.
Every feature you add is another thing that can break. Every option is another decision the user has to make. Every possession is another thing to maintain, store, and worry about.
"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Simplicity as a Practice
Simplicity doesn't happen by accident. It requires intention and discipline. Here are some principles I've been trying to apply:
- Start with why. Before adding anything, ask: what problem does this solve? If you can't answer clearly, don't add it.
- Subtract before you add. When something isn't working, try removing things before adding more.
- Embrace constraints. Limitations force creativity and focus. They're features, not bugs.
- Question defaults. Just because something has always been done a certain way doesn't mean it should be.
The Beauty of Less
There's a certain peace that comes from having less - fewer things to maintain, fewer decisions to make, fewer distractions competing for your attention.
This blog is an attempt at practicing what I'm preaching. No fancy animations. No infinite scroll. No pop-ups begging for your email every five seconds. Just words on a page.
Sometimes, that's enough.