Simplicity is evangelized as a communication technique because it catalyzes action. A simple idea can be reacted to immediately due to lack of variables. And, simple instructions can be followed because they are more actionable than a complex set of instructions. But, while simplicity has benefits as a communication method, it’s a road block I find myself tripping over. Often what feels concrete and well-thought out internally becomes another victim of failed communication.
My inability to simplify, or habit of unnecessarily complifying, is an anxiety inducer. Expressing a well-thought idea simply is a complex process. Assuming an idea has bounced around the neurons, that single idea fought numerous other ideas before traveling to the tip of the tongue. Those ideas that express themselves have overcome intellectual hurdles, or what can feel like anxiety, to reach tangible expression.
My ideas live inside my head, often best expressed through writing as opposed to speaking, because I can move at a tempered pace. My habit for complexity has splintered certain of my capabilities, causing not only anxiety, but uncertainty surrounding my own ideas. It’s forced me to take blame for others’ mistakes because I’ve failed to express instructions in a way that made sense to anyone else besides me.
I sympathized with John Mayer’s reluctance to embrace simplicity that he described in the recently published Playboy interview, even though it causes friction with himself and his relationships. His overthinking, anxiety and inability to express ideas simply, he claims, have given him everything.
As soon as I lose that control, once I have to deal with someone else’s desires, I cut and run. I’m pretty culpable about being hard to live with. I have had a good run of imagining things into reality. I’ve got a huge streak of successes based on my own inventions. If you tell me I’m wrong or that I’m overthinking something, well, overthinking has given me everything in my career. I have a hard time not looking at anxiety disorder as being like an ATM.
The key to leveraging a trait that would otherwise be considered a character flaw is to recognize it and understand its limits. People often try to alleviate anxiety or remove it all together. But, my strategy is to control it and leverage it where it’s advantageous. I’ve learned to live with episodes of anxiety because it’s proven to be a more preferable state than simplicity. Without it, I’d feel dull, even with the extra mental distress.