As Simple As Possible...But Not Simpler

I read this quote from Pavel Tsatsouline, the famous kettlebell teacher, which he attributes to Einstein:

Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.

Whether Einstein actually said it that way almost doesn’t matter. The idea itself is everywhere. An old idea. A durable idea.

It got me poking at something I keep coming back to in my own work and routines—self-leadership, projects, habits, all of it.

Is there a way to make this simpler?
Is this already as simple as it can be?
Or have I quietly added stuff that doesn’t really need to be here?

I’m not talking about dumbing things down.
I’m talking about removing the extra knobs and levers that don’t actually move the needle.

Because when things start to feel fragile, it’s usually not because they’re too simple.
It’s usually because they’ve gotten too clever.

Complexity seems attractive at first.
It feels sophisticated.
It feels like progress.

But complexity also opens the door to more failure modes.
More coordination.
More explanations.
More “well, it depends.”

And that’s true whether you’re building software, running a project, or just trying to stick to a routine.

Simple systems are easier to live with.
Simple rules are easier to follow.
Simple processes are easier to resume after you fall off for a few days.

That last part matters more than we like to admit.

For example, my old writing routine collapsed the moment it required a specific app, a special notebook, and a perfect 25-minute silent window.

Now it’s just “Open doc. Write three sentences.” It’s embarrassingly basic, but it gets used.

Complex systems often assume perfect execution and constant attention. Simple ones assume you’re human.

I also notice that complexity tends to invite competing visions.

Everyone has an opinion.
Everyone wants to add a feature, a step, a framework.

Before long, nobody can explain the thing end-to-end without a diagram.

Simple doesn’t mean rigid.
Simple means fewer moving parts.

When something starts to feel heavy or brittle, I’m starting to think the better question isn’t:

“How do I improve this?”, but
“What can I remove without breaking it?”

That’s not a dramatic insight. It’s almost boring.

But boring ideas are often the ones that last.

Not prescribing anything here.
Not turning this into a system.
Just noticing a pattern and toying with it.

For me, simple really does seem to work better.

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Aaron Rose is a software engineer and technology writer at tech-reader.blog and aaronrose.blog.