Simple is not always easy

I used to teach ballroom dance classes.  I was fortunate enough to be learning from a wise and patient mentor.  One thing I will always remember him saying was to avoid using the word "easy".  He said that just because something was simple did not mean it was easy for everyone.

We would always start the very first class with having everyone in class walking in place.  We would then do that to music.  Walking in place, is the most simple movement he could come up with to start the class.  Even though walking in place is simple, it was not necessarily easy for everyone.  Some people coming to class for the first time are nervous and can just barely walk or stand, much less trying to do it to music.  So just because from my perspective it is simple does not mean it is easy.

He also taught me another lesson about if I would put in the time to do the simple things perfectly, then I would be able to do the difficult things easily.  I have looked it up and it looks like this is from a quote by Friedrich Schiller:

  "Only those who have the patience to do simple things perfectly will acquire the skill to do difficult things easily."

As you are reviewing your goals and actions, see if you are doing the simple things perfectly.  You can be less concerned about doing the fancy things and instead make sure you are doing the simple things perfectly.

A questions you can ask yourself is, "What are the most simple things I can do to accomplish this goal?"  Then you can check how well you are doing those things.