Henry David Thoreau Quotes

A man must be able to cut a knot, for everything cannot be untied; he must know how to disengage what is essential from the detail in which it is enwrapped, for everything cannot be equally considered; in a word, he must be able to simplify his duties, his business and his life.

The absence of alternatives clears the mind marvelously.

In a way, I have simplified my life by setting priorities.

Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.

Creativity has more to do with the elimination of the inessential than with inventing something new.

No matter how complicated a problem is, it usually can be reduced to a simple, comprehensible form which is often the best solution.

That's been one of my mantras - focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.

It is easy to answer the ultimate questions - it saves you bothering with the immediate ones.

I find that as you get older, you start to simplify things in general.

I never heard either of them speak ten minutes at a time, nor to any but the main point which was to decide the question. They laid their shoulders to the great points, knowing that the little ones would follow of themselves.

Never again clutter your days or nights with so many menial and unimportant things that you have no time to accept a real challenge when it comes along.

Complexity has and will maintain a strong fascination for many people. It is true that we live in a complex world and strive to solve inherently complex problems, which often do require complex mechanisms. However, this should not diminish our desire for elegant solutions, which convince by their clarity and effectiveness. Simple, elegant solutions are more effective, but they are harder to find than complex ones, and they require more time, which we too often believe to be unaffordable

Simplicity is about clarity of thought and being willing to stay in a problem long enough to come to a solution, though it could be right in front of you.

Anybody can make the simple complecated. Creativity is making the complecated simple.

I've spent my life trying to make things simpler.

When you blow away the foam, you get down to the real stuff.

The world is so huge that people are always getting lost in it. There are too many ideas and things and people too many directions to go. I was starting to believe that the reason it matters to care passionately about something is that it whittles the world down to a more manageable size. It makes the world seem not huge and empty but full of possibility.

Once a problem is solved, its simplicity is amazing.

There are too many ideas and things and people. Too many directions to go. I was starting to believe the reason it matters to care passionately about something, is that it whittles the world down to a more manageable size.

Intelligence complicates. Wisdom simplifies.

When we have no goal, or when our vision of the goal is obscured, we may lose our sense of purpose. Even when we've prepared ourselves well and have an aptitude for a given activity, poorly directed efforts can rob us of vital energy. We can spend a great deal of our time, money, and other resources running around in circles. Unless we create specific goals that match our purpose in life and unless we keep a clear vision of these goals, we may eventually falter and fail.

The most difficult thing is what is thought to be the simplest; to really see the things which are before your eyes.

Mindfulness creates centered awareness. When you do one thing at a time, you're guaranteed excellent results. If you do too many things simultaneously, it messes up your neural circuits. Focus on one thing at a time.

Those who are wise won't be busy, and those who are too busy can't be wise.

Would do well to slow down a little... focus on the significant... and truly see the things that matter most.