Back in 1960, the U. S. Navy coined KISS as an acronym for “Keep itsimple, stupid“. It was their design principle during a time when the world was becoming more complex. The KISS principle was a reminder that most systems work best if they are kept simple rather than made complex.
More recently, Steve Jobs reaffirmed the KISS principle. “You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple”, he quoted in an interview for ABC news on October 6, 2011.
I think about Steve Jobs’ quote often. I relate it to things I have and have not done. I understand exactly what Steve Jobs means. I understand that he is saying that it takes effort to reap the benefits of simple. I understand that it is difficult to get to simple in many areas of our multi-tasking lives. I think about my own difficulty with obtaining simple when it comes to skills that do not come naturally to me or that I choose to ignore. I think about the lack of motivation that I may have in implementing things that are not fun or of little immediate interest to me. And I think about my clients and know I share the commonality of aiming to make things simple. Albeit their desires for simplicity are aimed at healthy living simplicity through better eating and exercise planning and adherence, mine are aimed at those tasks of daily living that do not come so simply for me.
Ask my CPA. For years he has been trying to get me to simplify my record keeping for paying Uncle Sam’s taxes. He knows I need help. I have an incredible block about keeping track of my receipts. For a few years I was diligent about maintaining all the information I would need for preparing my taxes – I did change. I was organized. But then, as is the circumstance with many people striving to develop better health skills and habits for the next third to half of their lives, I started slacking. I know better. Old habits slowly creep in and before I am even fully aware, instead of having a shoe box full of receipts, I have them all over the place . . . and with no organization!
The only good that can come out of this lack of continued organizational effort is that I can tell my clients that I understand! And I do… simplicity is a process. Keeping it simple is not something we usually achieve overnight. Yes, it can happen quickly if we are highly motivated. But it will still take a concentrated effort to stay on task if it is not something in our DNA or natural upbringing. It is why Steve Jobs says it takes hard work to get tosimplicity. It is why out Navy coined KISS.
Moreover, do not most of us aspire to simple living? Simple makes our lives freeing. Simple allows us to engage in what really matters to us.Simply opens up the possibility of becoming who we really are, and most importantly, who we can become as the years unfold.
However there is still no easy route to simple for many areas of our lives. In fact, when we think we finally have it in one area of our lives because of hard work and diligence, it often vanishes into thin air. So what do we do? Since this is a health article, the question becomes, “What do we do to create good habits that will last a lifetime, that will give us the best opportunity to live vigorously on our own terms well into the last half of our lives?” And, what exactly are the habits we need to start implementing now in our 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and beyond to give us the healthiest mind, body and spirit of which we are capable?
A recent study reported in the British Medical Journal shows one can never be too old to reap the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Exercise, eating right and avoiding harmful habits like smoking could help elderly women happily live five years longer and elderly men happily live six years longer. Specifically, the researchers found that exercise seemed to have the greatest association with survival. People who simply exercised whether it was swimming, walking or even doing just stretches — survived two years longer, compared with people who did not do these activities.
For most of us, however, we know we need to do a little more than just easy walking, swimming or stretching for survival. This kind of understanding is where most of us are at. To be comprehensive in our fitness routines we need to include cardiovascular activities that cause us to sweat a little and raise the heart rate. We need the muscular strength and endurance to carry out not just our daily tasks of living, but our daily tasks of living vigorously for all the things we love such as travel, golf, tennis, hiking and even just playing with the grand children. Additional, we know we need the ability to move our bodies with ease and to stay limber for a lifetime of enjoyment and less arthritic pain.
And lastly, we are clear on the importance of not just feeling good from exercising consistently daily, but on seeing the relationship between eating more wholesomely, exercising more smartly, and keeping a cool – clear head on how much we can expect from ourselves in trying to exchange bad habits for good habits in a predetermined length of time. Motivation is key. Awareness is key. Being properly aligned with those that can help are key. And keeping it smartly simple are key!
Regardless, we are all in this thing called change for the next third to half of our lives together! What will we do to get to simple?
