Photo courtesy of visualpanic

Pare It Down: Cut Away the Extraneous to Leave the Awesome

Mark Twain once famously apologized for not having having time to write a shorter letter, “so I wrote a long one instead.”

Twain knew that it takes work to edit, to whittle a letter or a story down to its essentials.

And that applies to much more than just writing: take the time to pare whatever you do down to the essentials, and you’ll be left with something so much more amazing.

Designers know that you should remove extraneous elements to leave only those that are necessary. Steve Jobs knows this and has used it to sell a one-button iPod. The best bloggers focus on high-impact posts, rather than flooding readers with too much information.

How can you use the concept of “paring it down” to make yourself more effective?

A few things to consider when paring it down:

Spend a few minutes thinking about what is really essential. What is it that you really want above all else? What is it about your product or service that the customer really wants? What is it you are really trying to communicate? If you had to pick one thing about whatever you’re doing, what would it be?
Be bold. Don’t be afraid to throw stuff out. You can always add stuff back in later — remember that less is better as long as you’re leaving in the essentials.
What is blocking the essentials? Sometimes the awesome in something is being blocked by other things — can you remove those things to show the awesome and let it shine? Remove the noise to let the music be heard.
Come back to it. Sometimes you can’t see the extraneous the first time you start paring down. So do your best, and then come back later and try again. You might be able to pare down even more this time. Keep coming back as long as you can — the more you pare, the better in most cases.

It’s possible to pare down too much — you might be left with too little — but I think in most cases this never happens. People usually pare down too little.

What are some ways that “paring it down” can be used in your life? Just some examples:

If you’re a blogger, pare down a post until you’re left with just an amazing message, and none of the noise. Also consider posting less (if you post a lot) and only posting the amazing stuff that your readers love.
If you’re a marketer, consider your single most important selling point. Then pare down your marketing efforts to focus on that, and let it shine.
When writing emails, before pressing “send”, think about whether you can pare the message down to less.
When looking at your schedule, see if you can pare it down to just a few essential things a day.
If you manage an office, consider whether all the activities of an office are necessary. Are your employees made to do things that get in the way of their important tasks? Is there unnecessary paperwork or bureaucratic steps that can be reduced?
If you make software, can you offer fewer features to keep the software lean? Can you pare down the interface to make it simpler and more appealing and easier to use?
If you sell stuff, can you make it easier for your customer to buy things? Pare down the steps they need to take to buy something from your website. (Related rant: I hate having to go through a large amount of screens to buy something! Why does it have to be so hard?)
Can you pare down the stuff in your home to have a more minimalist look?
Can you pare down the distractions in your work environment so you can focus more?
If you’re a photographer, can you pare down the things in the photo so you’re left with a cleaner image?

You get the idea. “Paring it down” can be applied to anything you do.

—

Elsewhere: Speaking of cutting things down, The $1 Book Co. has taken advantage of my UnCopyright and is now offering the Zen To Done ebook and Zen Habits Handbook for Life for $1 each! This is a pretty great deal, so if you haven’t bought either book yet, you might consider it.

Pare It Down: Cut Away the Extraneous to Leave the Awesome

Mark Twain once famously apologized for not having having time to write a shorter letter, “so I wrote a long one instead.”

Twain knew that it takes work to edit, to whittle a letter or a story down to its essentials.

And that applies to much more than just writing: take the time to pare whatever you do down to the essentials, and you’ll be left with something so much more amazing.

How can you use the concept of “paring it down” to make yourself more effective?

A few things to consider when paring it down:

Spend a few minutes thinking about what is really essential. What is it that you really want above all else? What is it about your product or service that the customer really wants? What is it you are really trying to communicate? If you had to pick one thing about whatever you’re doing, what would it be?
Be bold. Don’t be afraid to throw stuff out. You can always add stuff back in later — remember that less is better as long as you’re leaving in the essentials.
What is blocking the essentials? Sometimes the awesome in something is being blocked by other things — can you remove those things to show the awesome and let it shine? Remove the noise to let the music be heard.
Come back to it. Sometimes you can’t see the extraneous the first time you start paring down. So do your best, and then come back later and try again. You might be able to pare down even more this time. Keep coming back as long as you can — the more you pare, the better in most cases.

It’s possible to pare down too much — you might be left with too little — but I think in most cases this never happens. People usually pare down too little.

What are some ways that “paring it down” can be used in your life? Just some examples:

If you’re a blogger, pare down a post until you’re left with just an amazing message, and none of the noise. Also consider posting less (if you post a lot) and only posting the amazing stuff that your readers love.
If you’re a marketer, consider your single most important selling point. Then pare down your marketing efforts to focus on that, and let it shine.
When writing emails, before pressing “send”, think about whether you can pare the message down to less.
When looking at your schedule, see if you can pare it down to just a few essential things a day.
If you manage an office, consider whether all the activities of an office are necessary. Are your employees made to do things that get in the way of their important tasks? Is there unnecessary paperwork or bureaucratic steps that can be reduced?
If you make software, can you offer fewer features to keep the software lean? Can you pare down the interface to make it simpler and more appealing and easier to use?
If you sell stuff, can you make it easier for your customer to buy things? Pare down the steps they need to take to buy something from your website. (Related rant: I hate having to go through a large amount of screens to buy something! Why does it have to be so hard?)
Can you pare down the stuff in your home to have a more minimalist look?
Can you pare down the distractions in your work environment so you can focus more?
If you’re a photographer, can you pare down the things in the photo so you’re left with a cleaner image?

You get the idea. “Paring it down” can be applied to anything you do.

—

Posted on 22 October 2008 in Simplicity |
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Comments (67)

Trixi Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 19:22 pm

Amen! :-)

Michael Lundin Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 19:34 pm

There is a great scene in the movie, “A River Runs Through It” where Tom Skerritt is teaching his son to write essays. Each time his son brings his essay into the study, he reads it, and says something like “Again, half as a long” and sends the boy away. The boy returns three or four times and the father says the same thing.

This post reminds me of that scene.

Shanel Yang Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 19:56 pm

I love a minimalist look and lifestyle. So much easier to get things done! There’s always fluff to cut. The only question is whether you have the guts to cut it. ; )

Tabitha (From Single to Married) Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 20:06 pm

I agree with this, especially in regards to blog-writing. I can’t tell you how many posts that I’ve started to read and then dismissed because they were just too long and wordy. Good reminder!

Sid Savara Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 20:12 pm

One thing I like to do with my posts is cut a whole paragraph. Or a sentence. Paste it in notepad somewhre for safekeeping.

And now, after I randomly deleting something, I get up, get some water or take a break, and then return to the piece and look at it. If it doesn’t make sense, I now rewrite the sentence of paragraph.

Once I’m done, I can now compare the two - and often, I may pare it down. Sometimes though, I find new insights to include that strengthen the piece and add those as well.

More often than not however, it leads to what you describe: shorter, denser, better articles for my readers.

Writer Dad Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 20:24 pm

When I first started blogging, I’d write a post in a single sitting. I almost never do this now. I start a post a few days to a week ahead of time, adding water and fertilizer each day. By the end, there’s nothing left but blooms and blossoms.

Tamara ModernGear TV Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 20:30 pm

What an excellent post…I really need to work on editing the posting, the household, the desk..everything. This is one I’ll come back to. Thank you!

Vish-Writer Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 20:43 pm

Albert Einstein once said … Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler.

Avani-Mehta Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 20:46 pm

‘Paring it down’ seems to equate to removing clutter from post/message etc. I like the way Vish-Writer has equated it to making things simple.

Ken Anderson Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 20:48 pm

Thanks

Corey - Simple Marriage Project Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 20:48 pm

Amen Vish-Writer!

A Dawn Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 20:51 pm

Sometimes I find it hard to start writing. But once I start writing, the rest happens automatically. Once completed, I often wonder how could I possibly write such a wonderful article (or book) like that.
Cheers,
A Dawn Journal
http://www.adawnjournal.com

Leo Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 20:57 pm

@Vish-Writer: Exactly, but as Einstein could have told us, that’s easier said than done. That’s why I like the idea of paring things down as a way to implement that simplicity.

Jonathan Mead Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 21:05 pm

I always thought that quote was by Blaise Pascal, but I guess both of them said. I wonder who said it first?

http://thinkexist.com/quotes/with/keyword/short_letter/

dr aletta Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 21:16 pm

Best ideas said minimally:

On war: Veni. Vidi. Vinci.
On Sex: Madam, I’m Adam.
On Substance Abuse: Candy is dandy, But liquor is quicker.

Vincent Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 21:17 pm

Sometimes less is really more. Without the clutter, we will have a clearer look at what is really happening.

Cheers
Vincent
Personal Development Blogger

Hot Alpha Female Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 21:41 pm

Your articles are officially the best of their kind.

Its good to see that there is actually a structure to something that reads so easily and provides so much content in such a short amount of words.

Definitely something I can apply. Thanks

Hot Alpha Female

Teal Marie Chimblo Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 22:12 pm

Great post. Book recommendation on paring down and staying focused Eat That Frog! by Brian Tracy. Short and super helpful. I go back to it when I feel like I need to get my process centered again.

Matthew Clark Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 22:17 pm

Like they say sometimes less is more. I will apply this to my next writings. Great post and super tips for everyone.

J.D. Meier Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 22:30 pm

Sometimes I find it’s faster to start from scratch and carry the good forward, than it is to whittle something down.

Kim McGinnis Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 22:36 pm

As a writer, I can relate. When writing a book, especially, it is sometimes difficult and painful to admit that you may have fallen in love with your own words, at the expense of your reader’s interest.

Brevity is undervalued. Simplicity is beautiful.

Jamie | WiredParentPad Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 23:09 pm

As always, Zen Habits delivers.

For me, one of the main challenges when writing is, without a doubt, peeling off the layers leaving only the juicy core.

Writing, for many of us, comes relatively easy. The danger with this is quite simply saying too much. Pare it down to leave the awesome - great title.

Bmone Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 23:24 pm

Leo - This is your best post Ever! (I made this comment extra short to drive the point home)

Trent Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 23:30 pm

Great post Leo, love your work!

Your Friendly Neighborhood Computer Guy Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 23:38 pm

Uhoh, on this post about pairing things down I get a pop-over ad for Febreeze! It just jumped out and took over half of your blog. I loved this blog for it’s simplistic design and approach, I hope that’s all not going away for monitization sake! (Either way I’ll probably still come)

Anyway, great post!

Eugene (Editor, Varsity Blah) Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 1:31 am

Simplicity rocks. Enough said!

Leo Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 2:08 am

I can’t figure out where the Febreeze ad is coming from. If anyone can tell, please let me know — one of my ad networks is doing something they shouldn’t and I need to let them know. Thanks!

Simple Sapien Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 2:33 am

With my blogging, I also like to cut out the unnecessary. There is some fear that comes with this though. I am always afraid that what I cut out will leave my post incomplete or that there won’t be enough details to back up my point. Finding the balance is key I suppose. Thanks, Leo.

- Jack Rugile
Simple Sapien

johnlazy Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 2:35 am

Less is more So more or less you should do some less stuff to get more. Is what I’m saying make sense?

banji - LessonInLife Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 2:39 am

So that why it is always harder to be productive or minimalist :)

I agree, it take more effort to trim things to its best form than to just put everything there. I personally uses notepad software (that comes with window) to write my entries. I change the size of it to about the size of the entry column in my blog. This way, I know that when a reader reads the entry, how many time he/she will have to scroll down.

This has mad me more careful with my choice of words and try to deliver the message in the entry as clear as possible.

Just sharing :)

Adrilia Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 5:59 am

Love your emphasis on process … as we start paring down it changes our frame of mind and how we do anything. It is excellent training for better living, working, relating. Essence.

Miss Attica Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 6:44 am

Great point, Leo! Back to the old le Corbusier classic from the beginning og functionalism:

Less is more!

Not as rewritten later (less is a bore…) = Not true! :-)

Miss Attica
http://missattica.blogspot.com/

Eric Hamm Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 7:58 am

You mentioned simplistic software. I kind of look at the difference between Mac software and that of Windows based offerings as a perfect example. Apple does a great job of giving you the features you want and none of the fluff. Windows software usually throws in the kitchen sink. Users may have more options, but can’t find the ones they want while sifting through all the clutter.

virtual voyage Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 8:07 am

….. Using mindmaps can help clarify writing structures, especially for the right brained. People who relate well generally use less words and more emotion cues than those who don’t.

Andrea Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 8:26 am

Minimalist, simple, living is a recurring theme in your blog and that is why I love it. I believe that your environment will reflect in your mind, so in order keep a clear head, you need a free-of-junk space. A good recycling bin is fantastic for this goal, since if you happen to be a publication junkie like me, what will tend to clutter your space will be newspapers and magazines.

Ryan McLean Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 8:50 am

I agree highly about coming back to something at a later time. Sometimes things seem like I just can’t do it, but if I come back to it a day or two later it seems so simple and easy.

Maria | Never the Same River Twice Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 9:12 am

This is one of those posts that runs contrary to every ounce of social conditioning I’ve ever had (which is why I read this blog!). All of Western culture is telling us that we need to HAVE more, DO more, BE more in order to be happy.

Sometimes I think you really do have to be a Zen Master to find the small parts of life that are essential to happiness.

Oh, and if you want practice expressing your ideas succinctly, sign up for Twitter!

Peter James Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 9:26 am

I love this post. Stumble, Reddit, Mixx, whatever, I can do. This is a great message. One of the ruinations of the society I live in is that people always feel more is better.

I own a website company, and we are always explaining to our clients about their sites “less is more”. If you notice, it is actually the newest trend on the web: clean, simple designs built for essential functionality, not just looks.

Great post.

Confident Nerd Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 9:27 am

cut down on the BULLSH** is what I get from this article. Great advice Leo.

Tim Rosanelli Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 9:31 am

I did this in my Martial Arts Business. Instead of teaching tons of different classes and styles, I pared down my school to focus on the essential karate that I love.

My school became much more profitable as I honed in on the niche of teaching leadership skills through karate. I teach less now so I have more energy and enthusiasm for the classes that I teach.

Tim Rosanelli
Sensei Talks
60 Situps in a Minute Challenge

FrugalNYC Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 9:44 am

I totally agree with this post. I don’t consider myself to be a “writer”, I find it hard to write long posts on my blog. I usually get right to the point and keep it short. Its always been the way I wrote.

@banji, glad to know I’m not the only one using notepad for its simplicity and availability. Even wrote about it here http://frugalnyc.blogspot.com/2008/10/windows-notepad-productivity.html

This is inspiration to write about getting to the point :)

Alison at Diamond-Cut Life Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 9:53 am

De acuerdo (I agree!) Paring down is an especially good theme in light of the current economy and credit crunch. And very Zen. We can be just as happy with less material stuff.
The whole point is not to have what the economists call a high standard of living (measured by how much we consume) but to have quality of life — measured by our happiness and security. My related piece on high quality of life with low spending is here: http://www.diamondcutlife.org/about-getting-rich-slowly/

becoming minimalist Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 10:01 am

if you only keep the beautiful and useful in your home, your home will always useful and beautiful.

banji - Lesson In Life Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 10:06 am

@FrugalNYC - All hail notepad.. :)

I even find wordpad to be very distracting with all the formatting etc, or is it that I am just that easily distracted

Fit Bottomed Girls Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 10:23 am

I plan on taking my day off tomorrow to pare down my closet. :)

BTW, I like the word “pare.” I feel like that when it comes to writing many times I use the word “edit” but then I get caught up in grammar and structure of sentences and not the meaning always. Pare is a great way to refocus on content. I can edit after. :)

Pace Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 10:26 am

I like the message of “pare it down”. It even shares its first four letters with the Pareto Principle: 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. 80% of the stress in our lives comes from 20% of our actions, coworkers, environmental factors, or whatever.

Thoreau said, “Simplify, simplify, simplify,” but if he had taken his own advice wouldn’t he have just said, “Simplify”?

Alistair Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 10:45 am

For writing, of a journal nature, I find Jdarkroom to be good, simple, minimalist enough for me. But for collecting related notes, I used to use Treepad, before I found Jreepad. Now I can use both these on mac or pc. And a whole lot of other things I’ve tried have been cleared off my computers.

…one day perhaps I’ll pare down to just one computer. 8-)

Van Scott Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 11:07 am

I couldn’t agree more that what the world needs is more awesome. In response, I applied your technique to an article I wrote that was 630 words. I followed your advice and GOT BOLD. I also got CARRIED AWAY. I was left with an utterly unpostable three words.

“Be like Leo.”

I’m sure you could market a plastic bracelet.

Juliet Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 11:47 am

My father always said to me that, when writing, I must use as few words as possible. If I can say someting in three words, don’t use five.

So, sometimes we can even pare down our sentences! Be a little less wordy and have more impact.

Juliet

dave Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 11:49 am

Think if everyone adopted this approach the amount of waste that would be eliminated in the world. Less is more and we don’t need so much stuff. I’ve stopped spending and use a cash only budget. Not sure if it is good for the economy as companies need us spending to turn quarterly profits but who cares. Less spending makes the dollar stronger.

Tess Marshall Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 12:07 pm

Hey,

Two daughters are in sales for New Balance. I’m constantly receiving running shoes from each of them. My husband and I decided each time shoes come in shoes need to go. So we donate nearly new shoes continuously.

Also thanks for the heads up on The $1 book Co. I sent them my paperback book hoping they may be interested in featuring it as an ebook.

Micaela | Striving Green Blog Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 14:20 pm

Thanks for the reminder about paring down. We really don’t need all this “stuff”, do we?

WhenIGrowUpCoach Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 14:30 pm

This is a huge challenge for me - I’m a talker (even when I’m writing)! I think part of the damage comes from being told in school that a paper had to be X amount of words - you were constantly looking for filler. It seems counterintuitive to do the opposite, but it’s more succinct and more appreciated by the other party.

PS And yes, I took out some “filler” before I posted this comment!

Emmanuel Paraskakis Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 17:27 pm

Reminds me of Jason Fried’s (37 signals) web 2.0 keynote:

http://www.krisjordan.com/2008/09/17/jason-fried-web-20-keynote-be-a-software-curator/

Learn to say ‘No’ more often. Be a curator. Great software means less features rather than more.

Lora Banks Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 17:43 pm

Quite interested in your p.s..

I love your uncopyright concept because it takes a stand for the quality of your work without having to “protect” it.

The uncopyright is generous. Generously promoting someone selling your deeply discounted work well, that is beyond generous.

Do the proceeds go to charity from the $1 books?

Practical Motivations Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 17:59 pm

I let my articles sleep for a day before doing the finishing touches. This works especially for me because I can only polish my articles at night after work and it works quite well. I can see the little details more clearly because my mind was taken off the article for a while.

Leo Says:

October 23rd, 2008, 18:33 pm

@Lora: No, I don’t think they give the proceeds to charity. They’re starting a new ebook company and I just wanted to help them get off the ground — I always like to help others succeed if I can.

@Van Scott: Lol … I’m not sure “Be like Leo” is the message you should shoot for, but I appreciate the thought. :)

Thanks, everyone, for your thoughts on simplicity — this has been a very cool discussion!

Nick Says:

October 24th, 2008, 5:51 am

Hi Leo

Good article, i liked the fact it was short - sometimes I find some of your articles overwhelming to read. Thanks for the reminder about paring - nice word!

Ron Towns Says:

October 24th, 2008, 13:45 pm

You make an interesting point about paring it down and only keeping the essentials: whether its in life, for a blog, in your house, etc.

I think you are missing one extremely important part to this equation. People that have lived a certain way for years, or have become conditioned to a certain lifestyle, have created strong neural pathways that reinforce this habit.

People in this situation won’t change over night, or even in a week. There is a process that can produce true change, and help develop new habits.

The first thing somebody must do is, as you mentioned, identify the “essentials.” Identify what is important in your life - what is needed and what is not. Set your goals and determine whether certain “clutter” in your life is helping you move closer to your goals or away from your goals.

Next, create a vision board of images that represent your goals and dreams. Look at the board every single day, morning and night. Even create a presentation of these images on your IPOD, in a sideshow format. When viewing the images, think of the emotional feel (probably positive) connected with each image. If you have an image of a yacht, how would sailing on a yacht in the south pacific on a beautiful sunny day make you feel?

Your mind will remember these images and emotions attached to these images. Your mind is a device who primary goal is to ensure survival. Survival doesn’t only refer to physical survival, as in eating vs. starving.

When you’ve ingrained goals deeply into your subconscious, not accomplishing them and experiencing the emotion you connected with them is a form of death. You are being deprived of whatever pleasure it is that you determined is a pleasure to you.

Do you see how this is working?

The best resource to learn more about this is entrepreneur John Assaraf’s new book, The Complete Vision Board Kit. Go here to read more from John: http://tinyurl.com/56mfen

Ken Allan Says:

October 25th, 2008, 7:17 am

Kia ora Leo!

All the great poets have known about this.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge said of fine poetry, “the best words in the best order.”

Ka kite
from Middle-earth

Stephen Smith Says:

October 25th, 2008, 16:32 pm

My wife and I are preparing to take an extended “road trip” over the winter. We are putting the stuff that we really want to keep in storage, and the stuff that we really need in the car. The rest is going to Goodwill or friends/family. We are going to travel from Maine to Wisconsin for my little sister’s wedding, then down to S Carolina and ??? who knows after that.
We are learning a lot about each other as we purge our home of stuff that we have been hauling around for years.

And it is a really good feeling.

Takumi86 Says:

October 26th, 2008, 13:30 pm

Thank you so much for posting that stuff, i’m a blogger and i always try to write small post only to save the time from my visitor. Because i found out most ppl just feel bored and lazy if they have to read long post, so thanks for those tips

Tess Marshall Says:

October 26th, 2008, 18:20 pm

One more thing to cut back on…our words! My duaghter broke her foot so she stayed with me for the weekend. I found myself pausing before speaking and not giving any unasked for advice!

How many times do we wish we could take back words?
It’s a good idea to cut down on any words that are unkind, critical and uncaring.

Jesse Hines Says:

October 26th, 2008, 21:37 pm

Eliminate, eliminate, eliminate.

I really began to get that idea from reading the 4 Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss.

Know what’s really important, focus on that, and eliminate whatever doesn’t.

It’s very liberating, whether you apply it to your writing or your financial plan. Or exercise plan. Or whatever.

Brad Tanner Says:

October 27th, 2008, 23:29 pm

Simplicity is the key to my happiness and success.

Brad
Paper Assistant

Josefine Says:

October 29th, 2008, 16:50 pm

Every day I spend some time to declutter my room … it is like a never-ending story. But it makes things easier. My desk is clean and tidy. I can actually see the walls of my room again, which were hidden behind cartons before. Keep it simple and you see more :o)