Two young boys had positioned their business in the perfect location, at the mail boxes where each resident came to pickup their mail after work. They setup their table across the sidewalk, effectively ensuring they would not be easily passed by. Access to the mail boxes could only be attained by walking around them on the grass.

As each resident approached the mailboxes they were greeted by smiling faces directing the prospective client to their single product, ice cold lemonade.

My wife asks “how’s business?” One boy replies, “we haven’t sold any lemonade yet, but people are giving us money anyways. One man just gave us 5 dollars!” Their product may not be desired, but their initiative is certainly being rewarded. They’re also young and cute.

Their operation is simple and straightforward. Their strategy is clear. And their supplies were most likely donated. Startup cost, a bit of time and effort. Return on investment, 100 percent. Now if I could just get my business model down to that level of essence.

Somehow everything gets more complicated as we get older. Then again, maybe it’s us that get more complicated. We stop seeing life so simply. There’s just too much going on within us and around us. So we’re distracted, constantly. How can anyone think clearly with so much chatter going on in their mind?

A number of years ago I decided to simplify my life substantially. And I did, for a while. Life was great and money was flowing. It only made sense to go for that big house in the country. So we did, and life got very busy and much more complicated again. And we did this all consciously and voluntarily!

The house was twice the size and the yard was 20 times larger. Everything took longer and required more effort and attention. We also now had a basement and a garage, adding to the space in need of attention and maintenance. Then, of course, we had to fill all that space, inside and out. Now the same income didn’t feel the same.

We sold that big house last year and moved into an apartment in the sunshine state. Life is much less complicated again. Or is it? I decided to start another business. And that’s where everything got interesting again. Things might have been different if I had thought like those two young boys. Keep it as simple as possible while ensuring it’s really easy for your customers to understand your business.

We all know this. It’s so simple. But we’re not. And we tend to think too much. At least I do. So I gave myself a lot to learn as I began creating my ideal business. I’m still learning, still creating, and it’s all taking so much longer than I intended. Now, with hindsight, I can see how I could have been much further along if I’d focused on a single product, that one idea that would grow naturally with my venture.

It’s ironic that in my previous consulting business I designed software systems to help my clients do very complicated work in the easiest and most straightforward manner. Somehow it was easy for me to see how to make things simpler for others. And here I am making things more complicated for myself.

But, don’t worry. I’ve had my aha moment. I get it (I hope). And life will get simpler again. At least for a while.

How about you? If you find yourself thinking, “can my life get any crazier?” or something similar, then maybe it’s time to think about shedding some of that complexity. Is it possible? Sure, I’ve done it. Is it easy? Well, the jury’s still out on that one!

But I’m getting wiser with age. At least that’s what I like to tell myself. And I’m going to stick with that story until proven otherwise.