The shortcut to solve the problem is only two words, simple.

I once read a cold joke that a junior high school graduate inadvertently entered a group full of highly educated talents. One day, the group threw out a question: A drop of water falling from a height of 10,000 meters will kill people? Everyone has begun to discuss the calculation of gravity and gravity acceleration. Taking advantage of the heated discussion, he silently said: Have you been caught in the rain? The group suddenly became quiet, and then he was removed from the group chat. Although it is a short joke, it also reflects a problem. We always like to complicate simple problems.

As minimalism says, in the face of problems, people always subconsciously want to apply what they have learned all their lives, but they ignore the most important one: the truth is often very simple. Minimalism pursues that there are no complicated things in the world, only people who complicate problems. Fergus O'Connell, the author of this book, insisted on the same principle as Cheng San's axe when facing what we think is complicated. He just needs to abide by the seven original truths and simplify things.

Speaking of Fergus O'Connell, we have to mention the time management that most people are concerned about at present, which is the shortcoming of most people. Fergus O'Connell is one of the best-selling authors of Time Management in the world. His works have been translated into as many as thirteen languages and sold well all over the world. What we care about is how to simplify complex problems, which is actually a matter of time management.

In the book Minimalism, the author conveys seven ideas of simplifying things, which are exactly the seven truths that we are familiar with but always ignore. Through these seven concepts, we can see through the essence of the problem, and no matter what we encounter in life or work, we can easily solve it through the application of these concepts. To sum up, in fact, we only need to grasp three key points: first, clear objectives, second, analyze problems, and third, solve problems.

First of all, clear objectives.

Many times, we pick up a question, but we don't know where to start, so things are often shelved. In fact, looking at the essence through the phenomenon, we only need to be clear: what is your goal.

If we regard the process of solving problems as a boat in a sea of misery, then the goal is to erect a lighthouse for the boat in the sea, and its function is self-evident, that is, to point out the direction.

McKinsey, the world's top consulting firm, has been famous all over the world for its high pass rate proposal writing method for many years. The first step in the process of structured thinking is to determine the goal first. After the goal is determined, what to do next is much clearer. Although all roads lead to Rome, if you can find the one that suits you, the nearest road is of course what everyone wants to see. As we all know, between two points, the straight line is the shortest, and determining the goal is like determining one of them, and the other is our current position. How to get there is clear at a glance.

In addition, this goal also refers to the target person. For example, whether your proposal is for leaders or customers is essentially different, and the focus of the listed proposals will be obviously different. For this, we must have a deep understanding in our work. Colleagues may be satisfied with your copy and product introduction, but customers may not agree.

Second, analyze the problem.

The purpose of analyzing the problem here is actually to come up with the best solution to the problem, that is, the simplest solution. The problem to be analyzed has two key points, one is interests, not stakeholders.

The so-called interest is very simple, that is, people's needs. In the process of analyzing interests, try to touch the essence and grasp the key points. For example, before an American company built a new headquarters building, many people complained that the elevator was too slow after moving into the new location. The company is considering speeding up the elevator or expanding its passenger capacity. Such a solution is understandable and can obviously shorten the time of waiting for the elevator. But the cost will also increase, people will not be satisfied, and they will never be satisfied with the current speed.

In fact, the fundamental problem is that people have nothing to do while waiting for the elevator, resulting in anxiety. The simplest and most effective solution finally adopted by the company is to install a mirror at the entrance of each elevator, so that people can tidy up their appearance while waiting for the elevator. The problem has been solved perfectly.

The above question also involves the second key point, stakeholders. Analyzing stakeholders is actually putting yourself in their shoes and understanding their needs from their perspective. For example, the content of the proposal introduced in Minimalist Thinking should be changed in time according to the situation of decision makers. When the decision-maker cares about profits and you show him sales, it is obvious that he will not think the proposal is worth signing.

Third, solve the problem.

The core of this item lies in two words, plan and change.

Through the previous analysis, we can make a reasonable plan. If the determination of the goal gives us a clear direction, then the formulation of the plan is to ensure that everything is carried out in an orderly manner. After all, few things can be done overnight, and solving them step by step will save us a lot of energy, and the order of each step should be guided by a scientific plan.

Just like Gai Lou, there will be many layers, but obviously, it must start with the foundation, followed by the upper layer. The same is true for solving problems.

Besides, the plan exists to ensure the continuity of things. This will lead to another point-change.

As we all know, when we are finishing something, it is impossible to be uninterrupted from beginning to end. When I want to write an article, I may have just written the beginning when someone called me and asked me to help me solve another thing. This is change. Therefore, when making the plan, there is still an indispensable link, that is, the emergency plan.

The term emergency plan is familiar to the chemical industry and is used to avoid risks or reduce losses. The contingency plan in our plan is also for the purpose that once we deviate from the main road in the process of progress, it will play a role, pull us back in time and continue to move towards the goal.

Generally speaking, the seven ideas advocated by minimalism are actually platitudes that almost everyone knows. The process of solving the problem is also very simple, that is, determining the goal, analyzing what needs to be done to achieve the goal, and then making a plan to deal with the change and starting to do it. However, in real life, knowing is one thing, and whether you will abide by it is another. People often have an unrealistic distrust of the simplification of things. It seems that the more complicated things are, the more practical they will be after achieving their goals. But in fact, this is a great waste of time and energy.

So, simplicity is a shortcut.