Perfection in Simplicity

"Perfection is not when there is no more to add but no more to take away" - Saint-Exupéry

Dear Managers and Leaders!

I would like to take a few moments to reflect on these words from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I think it is quite profound and is counter-intuitive to the way we live our lives nowadays. Most people these days want to do as many things as possible in the shortest time possible. They really push their limits and the limits of those surrounding them to succeed in their quest for numbers, their desire to destroy competition in the saga of achievements.

We often see this in the workplace. Tim Ferriss mentions with humour in his “4-Hour Work Week” that a good way to get promoted in corporate America is to walk around the office, constantly speaking to your cell phone and carrying documents. Of course, this is exaggerated, but it points to the problem of the importance people give to being busy even if what they do is irrelevant, or does not bring them closer to success.

Saint-Exupéry has a clear way of pointing you in the right direction of success. He tells you that doing more and more will never get you to success. What you have to do is rather to remove everything you can on your agenda or to-do list to be left with what is really important to you at the moment, what is essential, and then give these items all your focus! The tough thing, of course, is to define what is most important to you at the moment. I will discuss that topic some more in my next post.

Until next time,

Remi Cote