Do you thrive on complexity?
A client said to me recently, “I thrive on complexity—it keeps me interested. Goals are secondary.”
In an age of Marie Kondo, essentialism, minimalism and rock-hard habits being today's gold medal cocktail, complexity doesn't jive. In fact, it's straight-up counter culture, it's harder, messier, stickier, more…complicated. Aren't we all supposed to agree we're aiming for simplicity?
Yet, in lifting the hood on complexity, I realized that one of the most basic—simple, even—principals of complexity is this thing called interconnectivity.
The more complex, the more nuanced. The more nuanced, the more variation. The more variation, the more we realize that this messy, sticky, complex web of experiences we all have in life is actually the very thing that connects us all.
And, if we can tap into what this web is made up of for us individually, then work to share the realizations with others, the more you're able to connect with people deeply, on a simple, uncomplicated human level.
As Robert McKee, OG of storytelling himself, and author of Story, once said, “what sustains our attention is revelation and change.”
And guess what complicates life? Change. And you know what change causes? Revelation—surprising and unexpected realizations. And realizations are ultimately what people care about knowing from you. It is what defines you and separates you from others, and causes people to pay attention to you.
So, whether you're a simplicity reigns kind of gal, or a raunchy and muddled wins the day kind of dude, the thing to remember is that sharing your cocktail, your formula, your realizations and lessons learned is ultimately what will connect you back to what actually matters—connection to others. That's when you become someone who moves people.
Need help? Reach out, book 30 min with me, and I can walk you through how knowing and sharing these elements of your life can build a potent message, and change your perception in your industry.
xo, Lindsay
