42 of The Best Quotes On Simplicity

In an increasingly complex world, simplicity is a superpower. 

But the desire to simplify is often overlooked because complex things can seem more sophisticated.

To some, simple equals boring. 

Yet, pursuing simplicity has numerous rewards. Simple things are easier to remember, easier to communicate, and more reliable (because there are fewer things to go wrong).

Simplifying your life will make it much easier. It requires some initial effort, but the benefits compound over time. 

To inspire you to take the first step, here are some of the best quotes on keeping things straightforward: 

1. “Complicated seems clever to stupid people”. - Dave Trott, copywriter

2. “Simplicity is the keynote of all elegance”. - Coco Chanel, fashion designer

3. “Nature is pleased with simplicity. And nature is no dummy”. - Isaac Newton, polymath

4. “Genius might be the ability to say a profound thing in a simple way”. - Charles Bukowski, author

5. “Simplification is often the difference between doing something you know you should do and putting it off”. - Scott Adams, author

6. “Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius — and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction”. - E.F. Schumacher, economist

7. “Our life is frittered away by detail... simplify, simplify”. - David Henry Thoreau, essayist

8. “Take a simple idea and take it seriously”. - Charlie Munger, investor

9. “Simplicity is the key to brilliance”. - Bruce Lee

10. “The simpler, the better. Complications lead to multiplicative chains of unanticipated effects”. - Nassim Taleb

11. “Intelligent people are easily seduced by complexity while underestimating simple ideas that carry tremendous weight”. - William Green, author

12. “Doing a few pushups each day is a simple idea. Saving at least 10% of your income is a simple idea. Sending Thank You notes is a simple idea...but most people don’t take simple ideas seriously”. - James Clear, author

13. “Almost all quality improvement comes via simplification of design, manufacturing… layout, processes, and procedures”. - Tom Peters, business author

14. “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”. - Leonardo da Vinci, polymath

15. “People can follow simple systems better than complicated ones”. - Scott Adams, author

16. “Simplicity is not a simple thing”. - Charles Chaplin, actor

17. “An intelligent adult often feels it is demeaning to pay attention to simplistic definitions”. - Robert T. Kiyosaki, author

18. “Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple”. - Steve Jobs, founder of Apple

19. “There is always the possibility that there is a simpler way to do something. Even if that is not always the case, it is always worth investing some thinking time and creative effort in trying to find a simpler approach”. - Edward de Bono, author 

20. “Simple works, complex fails”. - Tim Ferriss, blogger

21. “Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious and adding the meaningful”. - John Maeda, designer  

22. “The more you simplify, the better people will perform”. - Keith Rabois, entrepreneur 

23. “Simplicity is the peak of civilization”. - Henry David Thoreau, essayist

24. “If something’s not giving you value, consider eliminating it from your life”. - Leo Babauta, author

25. “The best systems are simple, and for good reason. Complicated systems have more opportunities for failure. Human nature is such that we’re good at following simple systems and not so good at following complicated systems”. - Scott Adams, author 

26. “The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak”. - Hans Hofmann, painter

27. “Simplicity is the end result of long, hard work, not the starting point”. - Frederick Maitland, historian

28. “Simplicity is a great virtue but it requires hard work to achieve it and education to appreciate it. And to make matters worse: complexity sells better”. - Edsger Wybe Dijkstra, Computer Science pioneer

29. “That’s been one of my mantras – focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains”. - Steve Jobs, founder of Apple  

30. “It is the mark of a charlatan to explain a simple concept in a complex way”. - Naval Ravikant, entrepreneur

31. “I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures”. - Lao Tzu, philosopher

32. “The only simplicity to be trusted is the simplicity to be found on the far side of complexity”. - Alfred North Whitehead, mathematician & philosopher

33. “Simplicity is the final achievement. After one has played a vast quantity of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art”. - Frederic Chopin, musician

34. “Childhood means simplicity. Look at the world with the child’s eye - it is very beautiful”. - Kailash Satyarthi, Indian activist

35. “There is no greatness where simplicity, goodness and truth are absent”. - Leo Tolstoy, author

36. “Simplicity is nature’s first step, and the last of art”. - Philip James Bailey, poet

37. “When a thought is too weak to be expressed simply, it should be rejected”. - Luc de Clapiers, writer

38. “Simplicity is the outward sign and symbol of depth of thought”. - Lin Yutang, polymath

39. “Focus and simplicity...once you get there, you can move mountains”. - Steve Jobs, founder of Apple  

40. “Simplicity is the first cousin of contentment”. - John Stott, theologian

41. “Men rush toward complexity, but they yearn for simplicity”. - G.K. Chesterton, author

42. “Simplicity equals sanity.” - John Meada, designer  

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