The other day I was talking with someone about my love for coffee and how a simple French Press yields an amazing cup of “sacred bean juice”. As we chatted, he shared that he is an engineer, which spurred the conversation to “Why do we overcomplicate things”. For the next 10 minutes we went down a rabbit hole that was like opening Pandora’s box.
We laughed at the absurd simplicity of coffee and water, and kept repeating, “Why overcomplicate it, the French Press works!”
If only everything in life were as easy as coffee and water.
But that question stuck with me.
Why do we overcomplicate things?
Sometimes it’s fear—if I don’t get this exactly right, I’ll mess it up. Sometimes it’s pressure—what if I don’t meet expectations? And sometimes… it’s just habit. We’ve been trained to believe that if it’s not complicated, it must not be important, correct, forward thinking, creative, etc.
But here’s the truth: Overcomplication leads to overwhelm. Overwhelm breeds insecurity. And insecurity chips away at your confidence.
Ouch.
How is overcomplication effecting your leadership? Your relationship? Your projects?
Unless you’re an engineer working with data points, simple really is smart.
And when your mind is racing—tossing and turning a problem like a Rubik’s cube—it rarely lands on simplicity and clarity. Clarity doesn’t usually come from thinking harder, but from creating space to see clearly.
So, what if you tried this instead?
- Do a brain dump – Get everything out. No judgment.
- Take a break – Step away. Let your thoughts settle.
- Talk it through – A trusted friend helps untangle what’s true from what’s just noise.
Sometimes the best answers are found in simplicity.
French Press: coffee + water = confidence in a cup.
As a professional overthinker that has been in French Press rehab, here’s a few things to reflect on:
- Where are you making something harder than it needs to be?
- What might be underneath the urge to overthink or overdo?
- In what area of life would simplicity bring peace?
- Who can help you process instead of perform?
There’s power in pausing.
Power in simplicity.
Power in asking: What if this could be easier than I thought?
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