Simplification vs optimization

In his book “How To Fail At Everything And Still Win Big,” Adam Scott, the creator of Dilbert comics, distinguishes people into two categories: simplifiers and optimizers.

Simplifiers choose the easiest way to accomplish a task, even if some extra effort might have produced a better outcome. In contrast, optimizers search for the very best solution, even if the added complexity increases the chances of unexpected problems.

Adam describes himself as a simplifier, while he thinks his wife is a world-class optimizer. To illustrate his point, he tells a story of how his wife added ten tasks to be done on the way to a simple dinner at a nearby restaurant, followed by a movie. They end up being late for dinner and missing the movie (although this is an exaggeration to make the point).

I must admit I have been an optimizer all my life, finishing ten tasks before leaving the house for a social event, which makes us late every time and annoys my husband.

However, optimizing can be exhausting and stress-inducing. On the other hand, simplification frees up time and energy, making everything else a little bit easier.

Simplification is generally the strategy of people who view the world in terms of systems. Simple systems are usually better because complicated systems have more opportunities for failure. Human nature is such that we are good at following simple systems and not so good at following complicated systems. The most optimized diet plan or fitness plan will also be the most complicated. But a few people have enough willpower in reserve to follow complicated plans.

Simplification is often the difference between doing something you know you should do and keep putting it off. You don’t mind brushing your teeth because it is simple. But you keep putting off flossing them because it is tedious. That’s why dentists often suggest flossing one tooth. That sounds simple and you don’t mind starting. But of course, when you start,t you end up doing all.

After reading Adam Scott’s book, I have started simplifying things in my life. I have shrunk my daily “To Do” list to only two items a day. My whole focus now is to do them. Everything else can wait. If they get done, fine. Otherwise, they will get done eventually. Someday. And even if they don’t, no big deal.

In my quest to manage my weight, I have tried several diets and Weight Watchers plans. But I didn’t stick with any. They were too complicated. But since I started Intermittent Fasting sticking, it is no problem. I have my dinner before eight pm and breakfast at mid-day. There is no need to count calories or watch what I eat. Over time, my body has gotten used to tolerating hunger, and I am not putting everything tempting I see into my mouth.

As far as writing is concerned, I have limited myself to writing 1000 words a day. That too in four 15-minute intervals. And I time myself. As soon as they are done, I am free to do whatever I want to do.

The same goes for sketching. I intentionally don’t include any background in Ms. Jolly’s cartoons. It is a huge timesaver, and I can create them in under one hour. I don’t think people expect much from my cartoons other than it brings a bit of lightness to my message.

My newsletter, too, has simplified over the years. I started with writing industry news, training module, homework, and whatnot. But I have learned what people like the most is the main story. And that is the bit I enjoy writing the most. So most of the newsletter issues are vanilla versions. Now and then, if I have time, I add a bit of sprinkle to it in the form of a book or other newsletter recommendations.

I have simplified my exercise routine as well. Gym class at seven thirty am and walking at four pm five days a week. There are no ifs, buts, or thinking involved.

If the cost of failure is high, simple tasks are the best because they are easier to manage and control. Once you have success, optimizing begins to have more value. I have a simple strategy to write books – I write the first draft in ten days. If the idea is not good, I will know within a few days. I then drop it and move on to the next one.

If your day is full of ‘things to do,’ and you are stressed all the time, simplification might be just what you need.

You may not have the option of choosing simplicity, especially if you have a thousand things to complete in a day. But it’s a good idea to have an overarching plan to move towards simple systems as opportunities allow.

You can chip away at the complexity of your life over time. Simplicity is a worthy long-term goal. That’s how you will free your personal energy so you can concentrate it where you need it.

A Single Habit That Helped Me Write Four Books, 500+ Articles And Over A Million Words

500+ Articles And Over A Million Words

It’s my simple habit of writing a journal every day.

I wake up at six am, brush my teeth, and then crawl back into bed with my favorite pen and journal in hand. For twenty to thirty minutes, I write uninterrupted.

When I was working full-time, I didn’t have the luxury of journaling every day. Instead, I would try to write for 15 minutes on weekend mornings. I cherished that time with my journal so much that I started looking for spare moments during the day to jot down my thoughts.

Those moments became precious to me. They helped me process my thoughts, connect with my emotions, and gain insights from my experiences.

There comes a stage when journaling becomes an obsession.

Since becoming a full-time writer in January 2019, I haven’t missed a single day of journaling. It has become somewhat of an obsession, but it allows me to capture fleeting thoughts before they vanish like a bubble in thin air.

Whether the thoughts are good or bad doesn’t matter. The practice of capturing thoughts makes me aware of them. Now, I keep a notebook handy at all times, no matter where I go in my home. You never know when a good thought will appear, and I don’t want to miss it.

Some might see it as an obsession, but I think of it as a game.

Did I catch it? Yeah! I did.

Oh! What was that I thought of this morning while reading the newspaper? It was something related to…

I can’t even remember what was it related to. Bugger. All I could remember was that it was very exciting. I should have noted it on my phone. Now it is gone. Forever.

The true benefit of journaling lies in the expression of thoughts.

As you fill notebook after notebook, you’ll find that you’re better able to articulate your ideas. This is a moment to be proud of, as few people ever achieve this level of skill in their lifetime. For many, writing is a daunting task, and the mere thought of composing an article, story, or even a letter can be overwhelming.

In my early days of journaling, I wrote with a pencil so I could easily erase and refine my sentences. It took me three years to graduate from pencil to pen, so if you’re writing with a pen, you’re ahead of where I was.

Fluency is the ultimate reward.

Once you’re confident in expressing your thoughts on paper, fluency will come naturally. Soon, you’ll be typing so fast that your fingers hurt because your thoughts are flowing too rapidly to keep up with.

When I reached this stage, I cried. There was a time when I would sit with a pen and paper, unsure of what to write. Now, I have so many ideas and stories to share that I can’t keep up.

As a writer, everything becomes worth writing about. Simple anecdotes hold captivating stories, and mundane details reveal unexpected insights. When you’ve reached this point in your writing, you’re not far from achieving your goals. It might take you years (like it did for me), or it could happen in just a few months, but when it does, you’ll have discovered the joy and satisfaction that comes from writing.

The result of fluency in writing is a wealth of material.

At this point, you will have accumulated a substantial amount of material that can be turned into articles, stories, and even books. You can either pull content from your journals or start anew.

However, it’s important to note that your thoughts and perspectives may have evolved over time, so re-writing a piece can be more beneficial than digging up something from years ago. With your newfound expression of thought and writing fluency, you have a better chance of producing a high-quality piece.

But, don’t dispose of your journals just yet. They contain a part of you and serve as a reminder of the challenges you faced in the past and how you overcame them. I personally find inspiration in my old journals and use them to generate stories and ideas for my work.

So, how can you take your journal writing habit to the next level?

For me, reflective prompts have been instrumental in unlocking my creativity and critical thinking skills.

They help me explore my thoughts and emotions, and provide me with fresh insights and perspectives for my writing.

Here are some reflective prompts to try:

  1. What were the most significant events or moments of my day, and how did they impact me emotionally, physically, or mentally?
  2. What did I learn today, and how can I apply that knowledge to improve my life or help others?
  3. What are the most pressing challenges I am currently facing, and how can I overcome them?
  4. What are my goals for the day, week, or month, and how can I make progress towards achieving them?
  5. What are my strengths, and how can I leverage them to achieve my goals and help others?
  6. What are my weaknesses, and how can I work on improving them to become a better version of myself?
  7. What are my values, and how can I align my actions with those values to live a more meaningful and fulfilling life?
  8. What are the most significant lessons I have learned in life, and how have they impacted me or helped me grow as a person?
  9. What are the things that bring me joy and fulfillment, and how can I incorporate more of them into my daily life?
  10. What are my biggest fears or insecurities, and how can I work on overcoming them to live a more confident and fulfilling life?
  11. How have I grown and changed as a person in the past year, and what experiences or challenges contributed to that growth?
  12. What are some habits or routines that have had a positive impact on my life, and how can I continue to cultivate those habits?
  13. What are some patterns or behaviors that have held me back, and how can I work on breaking those patterns to move forward?
  14. What are some things I am grateful for in my life, what are the various ways I can pay forward.
  15. What are some obstacles I have overcome in the past, and how can I use those experiences to build resilience and strength for future challenges?
  16. What are my relationsip with others are like and how can I improve them?
  17. What are some things I am passionate about, and how can I use that passion to make a positive impact in the world?
  18. What self-care needs I am ignoring at the moment and how can I prioritize my well-being to live a more balanced life?
  19. How can better handle the current situation? What coping mechanisms can I use to manage these challenges in a healthy way?
  20. What are some goals or dreams that I have been putting off, and what steps can I take to make progress toward them, today?

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A Little Journal That Changed My Life

Years ago, I came across the idea of keeping a gratitude journal.

Dutifully, I bought a small spiral notebook and started writing three things I was grateful for

They were not big things, but little things like the yellow rose in my garden, the air-conditioning in my car, and a new pair of shoes that were sleek and comfortable.

That practice didn’t last for long.

I stopped and started several times.

Years later, when I was going through a bad patch in life, I stumbled upon the spiral notebook while going through my closet.

Rather than chucking the partially filled notebook into the bin, I opened it and started reading the entries.

Half an hour later, I was sitting on the floor, leaned against the closet, tears rolling down my eyes.

There were so many good things that happened in my life, and here I was agonizing over the little stuff.

Rather than feeling like a victim of fate, I saw how many blessings it had bestowed on me.

A gratitude journal may not seem a big thing while you are writing it, but over time, it becomes a powerful reminder of all the good things that happen to you.

I still don’t write in the journal every day. But it has got a permanent place on my bedside table and now and then, I pick it up, and jot down the three things I am grateful for.

Image by the author

If you haven’t got a gratitude journal, I strongly urge you to start one.

It will change your life.

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I know what cows feel when they fly

“Are you sure you aren’t coming?” asked my husband before walking into the briefing session before his first-ever indoor skydiving.

We were on a cruise to New Zealand and just before that, we both stood near the glass dome where an instructor was helping some daring souls to ‘fly’ in a cubicle or tube with high-velocity air blown through the mashed wire floor. Most couldn’t manage to fly. They banged on the glass wall, flipped over, and frantically headed for the door to get out of the gush of wind which was perhaps as forceful as tornadoes that can uproot trees and shoot the cows to the sky.

There was no way I was going to do that.

But then again, it costs hundreds of dollars, for the experience, and here, on the cruise, I was getting it for free. And human psychology is, not to say no to something that is free.

“What the heck. I will come,” I said and followed him.

After asking us whether we have any injuries or pain in our shoulders or limbs, the operators made us sign a waiver, which possibly said if we break anything while chasing the experience it will be of our own free will.

We were then herded into a tiny cabin with eight other people and shown a video to educate us on the dangers of what can go wrong. Then dutifully they told us how to position our bodies to minimize the damage and ‘enjoy’ the experience.

Following that, we were given the gear to wear that resembled a space suit. The final touch was earplugs and protective glasses. Unable to hear anything and walking like astronauts, we entered the dome with our instructor who did a dance in the dome (at 10 times the velocity), to demonstrate how easy the whole thing was.

Then he started picking one person at a time. The first one was a man, perhaps much older than me. He was tall and confident. But he didn’t last long. After several attempts by the instructor to steady him, he panicked and headed for the door. A couple of females followed him, one met the same fate as the man, while the other was a star. She flew so well that we all became hopeful that we can do it too.

Next was my turn. I got to the doorway, remembering to keep my chin up, hands straight, and aligned to my shoulder height. “Don’t forget to loosen your knees,” the instructor reminded me. As I stood in the doorway, and had and looked at the mashed floor for a millisecond, I realized one thing – there is no way I can get hurt unless I try to fight the wind.

I relaxed my body and let go. The next moment I was flying. The wind was so strong that despite all my effort I couldn’t shut my mouth. I also couldn’t hear anything. All I could do was enjoy the feeling of weightlessness. People around me were clapping, my husband was giving me thumbs-up.

And suddenly I knew what cows feel like when a tornado takes them in the sky.

Bloody brilliant!

Skydiving is the most daring physical act I have done in years. It taught me a big lesson. Sometimes we just have to relax. All the participants who didn’t succeed were trying to do too much and in the process knocking against the walls or flipping over.

I am taking that lesson to my writing life as well. For the past four years, I have been trying to do too much. Writing books, daily posting on social media, running courses, writing articles and newsletters. No wonder I am banging against the wall and flipping over.

I made a decision. From now on I will concentrate on writing and publishing books.

The other form of writing will happen in between.

It is more of a strategic decision than an emotional one. Books have a much longer shelf life than social media posts, online articles, and newsletters. Writing books also fits with other commitments in my life. Online writing requires you to write every day and spend time engaging with audiences. That strips me of valuable time which I could spend reading books and going deep into topics.

I am not announcing quitting newsletter or online writing. In fact, I published my cruise story yesterday Cruising Was Not What I Thought It Would Be (Part 1) on Medium. All I am saying is that writing books will be my number 1 priority.

Cruising Was Not What I Thought It Would Be (Part 1)

Image by the author.

I have just returned from a cruise to New Zealand.

I was apprehensive about the cruise, especially when my 94-year-old father-in-law and 79-year-old aunt were traveling with us. With the fourth wave of COVID getting stronger in Australia and being in a confined environment with thousands of people, I was dreading the worst.

Instead, it turned out to be the best trip of my life.

It was not a ship.

My first apprehension was broken even before I set foot on the ship.

It was not a ship, but a massive building floating in the water.

The check-in process was smooth, but finding our bearing on the ship was not. With 16 decks to explore, each one hosting different facilities — theaters, pubs, casinos, bionic bar, dance halls, dining rooms, and sporting venues — we got tired even before the ship sailed.

Built in Turku, Finland, and launched in waters in November 2008, Ovation Of The Seas, is one of the largest ships in the world.

At 6:00 pm we congregated on the top deck with 4,400 passengers to watch the massive vessel sail from picturesque Sydney harbor (with Opera House and Harbour Bridge in the background) to the open seas. We walked around a kilometer-long perimeter of the ship to find a good spot to watch the spectacle of our first-ever sea voyage.

But the ship didn’t sail.

One hour passed.

Then another.

Images by the author.

It started getting windy. And we were hungry and eager to explore the ship’s famous food, so we headed for the dining rooms. It was a fine dining experience, in exquisite decor, for free. We were seated at round tables, and the wait staff unfolded our napkins and placed them on our laps to serve us a three-course meal.

While eating, we watched the ship move. We hardly notice any movement. It was already dark, and we missed out on seeing the Sydney shoreline. We were told a massive storm was heading for Aukland, (North Island, New Zealand), and the captain was waiting for the wind to settle down before heading for the open seas.

I am glad he did.

I was sure I will not get seasick.

By the time we finished our dinner and headed for our cabin, my stomach started churning more than the waters outside. It was hard to steady ourselves. I was told; you don’t even feel the ship moving, especially when it is such a big one. Here I was on the biggest ship in the world, and my bed was shaking.

The next morning was even worse. I woke up weak and miserable. As soon as I got up, vomit overcame my resolve to keep the sour juices inside my stomach. After several vomits, I rang my sister-in-law, who brought the motion sickness tablet to me.

I spent the afternoon sleeping on deck chairs by the pool while the rest of the party enjoyed the food and played table tennis.

By evening, I was fine. And I remained fine for the next eight days. I later found out from the cruise staff that the Tasman Sea is the most violent sea.

Imagine what would have happened if the Captain had not waited for the winds to settle down for sailing from Sydney.

Top Deck. Image by the author.

The highlight of the trip was not what I thought.

Based on what I had heard from previous cruisers, I thought the highlight of the trip will be the food. The food was great. But there was something else that surpassed the enormous amount of food that was served each day.

That was the staff’s hospitality.

A crew of 1,200 people whose sole role was to make our trip a memorable one. They did their job so well that we had not a single complaint or even suggestion for improvement. Our room attendant greeted us every time we passed him. At times, he even opened the door of our cabin with his key and held it till we were inside, like royalty. Each day, he created a different animal shape with a towel and left it on our bed.

At the entry of the buffet restaurant, the sole job of an attendant was to greet every diner. She had catchy music on a portable speaker and will do a dance as soon as a new passenger made their way. Inside, an official-looking person greeted everyone saying, “Good Morning (or evening)! Welcome to the restaurant.” For ten days, he greeted each and every passenger.

Buffet Bar. Image by the author.

Hygiene was superb.

Each crew member wore a mask at all times. There were sanitization stations at every deck and outside every public place. But most impressive was the handwashing station at each entry to the Buffet Restaurant. You couldn’t go inside without washing your hands.

The entertainment was of the highest quality.

Multiple nightclubs, several bars and lounges, a karaoke club, a comedy club, trivia venues, there was more to do than there was time.

I didn’t think the evening shows will be that impressive. We listened to the world-class pianist Craig Dunn, who has performed with Liberace. Attended two comedy shows by a Queensland comedian, a gala production called Live Love Legs and a broadway kind of show titled The Beautiful Dream. Also on the show were two recent movies, Cate Blanchett’s Tar, and the cartoon character movie One And Only Ivan.

A Scene from Life, Love, Legs. Image by the author

Sports were challenging to cater to young and old alike.

A surf simulator, a skating ring, a Rock-Climbing wall, five swimming pools, table tennis, volleyball, and basketball courts. If that was not enough, there was Go Karting, Sky Flying, and Flow Rider.

Images by the author.

Of course, I have more stories to tell from the cruise, and I think I haven’t done justice with what I have shared so far. So I am going to write more stories in the coming days.

In conclusion, the cruise exceeded all my expectations. I now can understand why some people are perpetual cruisers. It’s not a bad option if you don’t have anything to tie you to the land.

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