It’s True: The World is Simpler than We Think

Always nagging in the back of my mind is the notion that the world is a lot more simple than we tend to make it. (It is because of this that, over the years, I’ve been an advocate for simplicity.) To see how complicated we imagine life to be, take a look at the Self-Help and Business sections of any bookshop. The shelves froth with titles claiming to solve one, or all, of the various challenges available to us.

Then along comes a neat package like Seth Godin‘s latest free e-book venture: What Matters Now. This book reminds me that life isn’t that complicated after all. Most of the answers do exist – it’s just that we consistently ignore them.

Godin is a brilliant marketer, and this is a brilliant marketing exercise as well as supporting a good cause. But regardless of its purpose, this ebook is worth a read. Godin has brought together a large number of more than seventy thinkers and writers. Each has contributed a single page, using a small number of words or diagrams, to convey a key message about what they think we should be thinking about and doing as we move into 2010.

The cast is strong, including some of writers who I think have had the best ideas of the last few years. Dan Ariely, author of Predictably Irrational. Chip and Dan Heath, authors of Made to Stick. Tom Peters, author of, well, everything. Jeffrey Pfeffer, one of the clearest thinkers on real management going around. And many others covering subjects from business to life to internet marketing. Their contributions are succinct. Many nail the key concepts from their many books – which, if nothing else, means you don’t need to read the books.

Some will find it all a bit simplistic. “Life’s not that simple!” I hear them cry. I happen to think they’re wrong, but you should make your own mind up. I suggest you start by downloading the book and having an electronic flick-through. I’ll bet there’s something in there for you.