There is an iconic saying sometimes attributed to Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, a German-American architect who was very well know for his somewhat minimalist approach to design. It is simply, “Less is more.”
Yet, he wasn’t the first to pen the phrase, it was actually poet Robert Browning, who used it in his 1855 poem “Andrea del Sarto”.
The basic meaning of this phrase is a reminder to keep things simple, usually by removing all of the needless, redundant, unnecessary, nonessential, excessive, stuff.
More is Better?
In today’s society, particularly in America, we are a system that is rooted in capitalism, a system whose basic premise is to make a profit. And in order to make a profit, you have to sell goods or services. The more goods and services you sell the more profit you will make. The more you can sell at a higher price and a lower cost simply increases the overall profit.
This mindset is at the heart of all advertising. And that my friends is why you are having countless ads shoved down your throat on your cell phones, your televisions, your gas station pumps, and the millions of billboards that pollute our highways and byways.
Stop the Insanity
How did we get so caught up in this more is better syndrome and how did we get conned into believing that more will make us happier? I happen to know some very wealthy people who have fractured relationships with their families and friends but have everything they could ever want and yet are some of the unhappiest people I have ever met.
How did we evolve as a race believing that we could find happiness in acquiring stuff?
And yet… what is it in us that when we slow down and stop to take in a beautiful sunset, sit on a beach and are mesmerized by the rhythmic sound of waves crashing on the beach or watch an infant smile when they discover their fingers for the first time, that gives us a smile on our face or a momentary sense of calm and peace?
Make it Simple
Have we lost sight of the of the extraordinary power of simplicity.
Perhaps it is that one simple act of kindness we take that could transform our life or the life of another?
Maybe it is the simple act of taking timeout to listen to your kid or your spouse tell you about their day.
What if you called or stopped in on an elderly neighbor just to see how they were? With Thanksgiving coming up in a few weeks, what if you used it as a time to give back or serve others who are less fortunate than you?
What if that one simple act powerfully impacted someone else’s world and brought them some temporary joy?
How would you ever know…unless you took action?
Simplicity Can Set You Free
The older I get, the more I am learning that truth, real truth, lies in simplicity and that more is not better.
When I over think, when I over complicate things, the further I move away from the truth. The more I buy or the acquire doesn’t make me any happier or bring me any more peace. In fact it does the exact opposite!
I am finding happiness is in the more simpler things, spending time with my wife Tracey, sitting and watching sunsets, reading an amazing book, or spending time with friends and family.
This coming holiday season, I simply wish the same for you!
