As Simple As Possible
As Simple As Possible (ASAP) ~ The Secret Sauce for Creativity, Cognition, and Code
Introduction: Complexity is Overrated
Some people chase complexity like it’s a badge of honor. Me? I chase ASAP: As Simple As Possible.
No, this isn’t another productivity cult acronym. It’s a quiet rebellion against the mental gymnastics we often call work. Whether I’m coding, brainstorming, or just trying to remember why I walked into the kitchen, ASAP is my north star. Why? Because simplicity isn’t the opposite of depth — it’s what makes depth digestible.
1. Simplicity Is the Gateway Drug to Flow
Let’s be real. The brain’s RAM isn’t infinite. When your working memory is juggling five tabs, three priorities, and that oddly catchy jingle from a cat food ad, your cognitive load maxes out. Flow? More like flop.
ASAP thinking cuts the clutter. Fewer inputs mean faster pattern recognition. It’s not about doing less; it’s about removing what doesn’t matter. Like Marie Kondo, but for thoughts.
Wink: Yes, I deleted three sentences from this paragraph. You’re welcome.
2. Creativity: Constraint Is the Muse in Disguise
People think creativity needs endless freedom. Nope. It needs elegant fences. ASAP gives you just enough room to move without falling off a cliff of possibilities.
Remember haikus? Seventeen syllables to express the human condition. Twitter (pre-Elon) had a 140-character limit that birthed some of the best internet poetry and sarcasm. I once wrote a pitch in six words: “App that hugs introverts remotely.”
Simplicity sharpens ideas. It forces clarity. It leaves space for interpretation, surprise, and delight. Which, frankly, is better than a whiteboard full of jargon no one understands but Bob from Product.
Hidden wink: Sorry Bob.
3. Cognition: Mental Clarity is a Feature, Not a Bug
Ever tried to solve a problem while holding your breath, spinning a plate, and reciting the alphabet backwards? That’s what mental overload feels like.
Simplicity declutters cognition. A good idea shouldn’t need an instruction manual. If I can’t explain it to a golden retriever with a coffee addiction, it’s not ASAP enough.
Personally, I use a “3-box” rule when thinking through ideas:
- What’s the core problem?
- What’s the clearest path?
- What’s one delightful twist?
That twist keeps it fun. Because fun makes things stick.
Wink: This paragraph started as seven.
4. Code: Elegance Over Everything
Bad code is like a complicated sandwich: 14 ingredients, none of which go together. Great code? Peanut butter and jelly. Two parts. No notes.
ASAP in programming isn’t about being basic; it’s about being brilliant with less. You know you’ve nailed it when your code feels obvious in hindsight. That “duh” moment? That’s ASAP doing its thing.
I once spent three hours removing 200 lines of logic spaghetti, only to replace it with ten lines that read like a poem. Did it save the project? No. But it saved my sanity and earned me the rarest compliment in engineering: “Readable.”
Hidden wink: The ten lines included one pun. Still counts.
5. The ASAP Litmus Test: When to Stop Simplifying
Simplicity isn’t about dumbing down. It’s about smartening up.
How do you know when you’ve gone too far? Simple: if it breaks under scrutiny, or if your audience starts asking, “Wait, what?” — it needs more scaffolding. But if people say, “Oh, that makes sense,” and nod slowly like they’ve just discovered caffeine for the first time, you’re in ASAP territory.
As Einstein (allegedly) said: “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.”
Wink: He also probably simplified his hair routine.
6. My ASAP Rules of Thumb
- Start with subtraction. Don’t build until you’ve trimmed.
- Never explain what you can imply. Trust your audience.
- If it feels clever, it’s probably bloated. Simplicity is humble.
- Test with time. If it still makes sense a week later, it’s ASAP approved.
Conclusion: Simple Doesn’t Mean Small
In a world obsessed with scale, ASAP is your anchor. It doesn’t shrink ideas — it polishes them until they shine. Whether you’re sketching a design, writing a book, or debugging that stubborn function at 2 a.m., remember: simplicity isn’t the easy way out. It’s the only way in.
