Law of Parsimony

The law of parsimony guides us to choose the simplest explanation that fits the evidence and in doing so, the simplest solution will present itself for a problem that we might face. A morbidly obese person is so because they overeat. Of course, they likely deal with a ton of complex psychological, genetic, and physiological issues that hinder them but above all, they eat too much. And the simplest solution would be for them to eat less.

Law of parsimony guides us towards simplicity.

Often, we drastically over complicate that which is not needed because we typically shudder at the thought that we don’t require fancy, custom advice for our hang ups. There is no doubt that complexities often do exist, individual nuances, and personalized technique, but as a principled way of approaching things, we’re much better off finding the simplest solution first and moving down the list only after it’s been explored.

If you are trying to get stronger you probably need to lift heavier weights, not worry about what day you squat.

If you are trying to be less tired you probably need to go to bed earlier, not study your smartwatch REM cycle tracking.

If you want to grow your business you probably need to deliver a better product, not read up on Google Ad Word algorithms.

There’s nothing inherently productive in the world of complicated. These days, everyone has a hot take and most advice givers immediately want to default towards being more versus less involved as to validate their expertise. Ultimately, don’t worry about zigging and zagging until you’ve thoroughly explored the simplicity of a straight path. Only when a truly immovable object falls in your way should you explore what a more complex route entails.

-Dave