I’m a rambler at heart. I think with words…so many words. When I try to explain my thoughts, I can often see my listener’s mind start wandering in real time. I’ve learned the hard way that I communicate better when I cut about a third of what I think I need to say.
I get tempted to add content hoping to be more persuasive. But my point is rarely more compelling because I’ve added to it. Real improvement usually comes from chiseling away at the nonessential.
Graphic designers know that adding another element doesn’t make a cluttered design any better. A writer elevates their prose by removing what’s unnecessary. The best sermons I’ve preached were around 20-25 minutes long. The bad ones were much longer.
The phrase “less is more” is a cliché for a reason. Removing fluff leads to stronger communication. It gives the main idea the space it needs to be heard.
I wonder how often we’re tempted to make the same mistake with our time and attention. Most of us are already overwhelmed, but we’re still convinced that we’ll improve our lives by adding more. Our culture loves to point out what we might be missing, trying to convince us that what we already have isn’t enough.
But we’ll never make the most of our lives by focusing only on what we can add. What we really need is the space to enjoy the precious things we already have.
And that means being willing to put everything else on the chopping block.