Less is more only when more is too much

“Less is more only when more is too much.” - Frank Lloyd Wright

We were taught in school to achieve the highest grades—not, not just an A…but an A+. To shoot for the stars. To get into that top university. Doctor? Lawyer? Entrepreneur? FAANG (Facebook-Apple-Amazon-Netflix-Google).

An ecosystem that champions success and whatever it takes to get there—competition, long hours, survival of the fittest. This is the type of ecosystem that has born and bred some of the brightest and iconic names, companies, and stories of humanity…but when is "too much” too much?

One thing I’ve unlearned and rethought over the past year (especially with COVID) is there are times when it helps to think like a Navy Seal, and there are times when it helps to think like a monk. It may help to “attack” an enemy full force on the battle lines, but “attack” may not be the right verb depending on the battle you’re fighting—especially when that enemy looking across the battle lines is…yourself. Less may be more when more is too much.

Art of doing absolutely nothing

It’s easy to feel like you’re not doing anything. Especially during COVID. But it’s hard for us to accept the fact that we are doing nothing. Especially in today’s 24/7 digital society.

But there’s an art of doing absolutely nothing. To not check your phone first thing in the morning nor last at night. To not respond to that text or email right away. To not consistently think about the future while forgetting the present. To be mindful of the here and now.

Perhaps it’s when we can truly realize what it means to do nothing can we start to actually do something. To appreciate. To be aware. To do something worthwhile…to truly live.

What would you do if you knew you would fail?

“What would you do if you knew you would fail?” - Seth Godin

We all think about what we would do if failure was not an option. That’s genie thinking, according to Seth Godin. The right question should be, “What would you do if you knew you would fail?” What is the one thing that you would pursue even if you knew you would fail. In other words…what are you so passionate about that you would try and do anyway…even if you failed?

What can we learn from times of uncertainty?

Times are currently “uncertain”…but when has life ever been so certain?

“COVID-19 is now officially a pandemic.”

Sounds like a headline from a C-rated Hollywood movie, but it’s the front page of CNN. Time’s are uncertain as the world battles this so-called pandemic—and with the advent of social media, it’s not just a health epidemic but a social epidemic as well. The media is bouncing back with a vengeance with headlines stirring anxious souls around the world. Toilet paper fights in supermarkets around the world have now become million-view sensations on YouTube. Discrimination and finger-pointing have started surfacing again.

Yet…every yin has its yang. Clear skies in China. Cultural norms around the world may change. And people around the world may finally start washing their hands on a daily basis. A challenge of this scale presents an opportunity for us to rise to the occasion. What has history taught us and will it repeat itself? Or can we band together as a human race in the 21st century?

No amount of government stimulus can save us—it is us, as humans, that will either save or break us. Our ability to simply…listen and follow directions. Be kind towards one another. To distance ourselves for now. And to be patient. This may very well be one of the biggest learning lessons of the 21st century…if we choose to.