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The Power of Simplicity
Tue, September 14th, 2010Refusing to clean up his own backyard has landed George Hartsuff in jail for 60 days. He can’t say he wasn’t warned. City officials have been asking him to do a little cleaning since 2000. Court action to ensure compliance was taken in 2002. On July 5, 2007, authorities gave Hartsuff 30 days to clean out the boats, crab pots, vending machines, and other assorted debris that littered his Maryland yard. When he failed to do so entirely, he was sentenced to 60 days in prison.
Hartsuff and his lawyer insist they’re doing their best to tidy things up. They’ve already hauled away four 30-yard dumpsters, filled to capacity. Still, city officials and authorities are fed-up.
“This cycle will keep going until the property is cleaned up,” said county spokesperson Tracie Reynolds. “The site would get cleaned a bit, and it got messy again . . . it was never brought into compliance.”
Cleaning up after ourselves is as old as the very first mother on earth. I can imagine mothers and fathers everywhere and in every generation have told their children about the importance of putting things away. Yet, human behavior is funny, people do strange things, and sometimes the clutter within our lives gets in the way of truly being productive and feeling a sense of personal peace. How do you know that the clutter in your life is hindering personal happiness?
- Check your car. Does your vehicle inside look like a one-room condo with left-over fast food on the seats? Are your passenger seats filled with notes, books, bags, and stuff? Do you find yourself apologizing when you are giving a ride to someone on how your car looks on the inside? Did you just sit down on your favorite sunglasses? Yep, the car can reveal a lot on how you are doing personally and professionally.
- Check your heart. Do you find yourself looking around the house or the pile of work on your desk and think, “I’ll get to it tomorrow?” Do you find yourself overwhelmed with all the tasks and that you don’t know where to start first? Do you find that your standards have lowered in work performance or in building better relationships?
- Check your family and friends. Do you find that you are more critical of others than you have been in the past? Are you getting more annoyed at the children . . . at your spouse . . . at your boss . . . at your colleagues? Often we transfer our unhappiness concerning ourselves unto others and become more critical and demanding.
Okay, you got me Tony; what am I supposed to do? One word, “simplicity.” Simplicity is just not a faddish attempt to respond to the economic trials that threaten to engulf us, nor it born out of a frustration with technocratic obesity (iPods, iPhones, Blackberries, et al.); simplicity is a natural and necessary rhythm of discipline that keeps us sane and helps create personal peace and space. Simplicity is needed for the rich and the poor alike. I have seen those without much material wealth live very complicated lives – almost always unhappy. Simplicity will make you happier and more effective. Your neighbors at work and at home will love the new you.
So here is a simple project to help you get started. Think through the major areas of responsibilities and commitments in your life. Probe for insight into how the practice of simplicity could help you clarify what is really important and weed out what is not. A good friend, a kind boss, or a spouse can really help you in your thinking process. Identify those inward attitudes and outward experiences you want to change or deepen. Be willing to eliminate. The older I get, the more I am realizing that “stuff” is not as important as people. Although I can afford it, I am finding myself accumulating less and giving away more. It’s a strange feeling being this happy, but I like it. I am still working on simplicity in my own life. But I have found that simplicity is the more human way to live.
What does “simplicity” have to do with Servant Leadership? Simplicity helps the Servant Leader live in the now, think better, spend time to equip and inspire people, and focus on the most important tasks at work and home. George Hartsuff really does need to simplify!
Tony Baron+
President, Servant Leadership Institute
3 Responses to “The Power of Simplicity”
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Amazing article and much needed in today’s busy lifestyle that we have forced upon ourselves. Having “Simplicity” leads to peace.
Thank you for sharing!
Catherine Rells
Well said Tony….and a good reminder as to our focus…less is better!
I have been enjoying the blogs, but keep finding myself coming back to this one to read several times. I need to work on the simplification of my life so I can get back to the basics of Christ and where I should be as a servant leader. Thank you for your wonderful messages!