• “Josh, I really want to do X, but I can’t. Things are too complicated right now.”
• “I’m so stressed because my life is so complicated right now.”
• “I wish my life were simpler so I could enjoy it.”
• “So-and-so is making my life complicated!”

We’ve all heard it before. Most of us have probably said it.

Complication is like beauty — a subjective opinion of the observer — not like height or weight, which you can measure and remeasure.

Your mental model of the situation — your belief — influences your perception, leading you to see something as complicated or simple. Change your model — that is, change your belief — and you’ll perceive things to be as simple as you want them.

Try this on for size: no matter how complicated you think your life is, every thing you deal with — every person, place, thing, idea, and so on, is made up of the same atoms as anybody else’s. They’re all obeying the same laws of physics, moving around doing their thing. They don’t know or care about you, same as with anybody else. They’re going to keep obeying the laws of physics with or without you.

What you think is complicated is just one way of viewing the action of one little section of the world. But every other section of the world is exactly the same — just as simple, just as beautiful.

(I love the perspective science gives.)

Once you change your beliefs, you’ll start picking up on and experiencing the rewards of the simplicity you perceive. The more you see and share simplicity, the yet more you’ll bring about. “Simplify, simplify” is great advice. You don’t have to act to make it so, you just have to see the simplicity already there.

From another perspective, your life is already as simple as anyone’s. It’s yours to believe and perceive.

• ← Thinking about business school?
• Are you being judgmental without realizing?, part IV →