How's it going today guys? I woke up this morning, had my Bible time, had my coffee at Bo's, and headed to the gym. I knocked out a 90-minute upper body workout and got in my steps for the day. Absolutely feeling great and strong. As I've often said, the most effective workout routine is based on consistency and mastering a few fundamental movements, such as pull ups ...
... and biceps curls.
The magic is in keeping everything simple. It's not in changing your routine every week. It's gradually making your current routine harder. Once an exercise feels easy, simply increase the resistance or weight to challenge your muscles again. When it comes to weight training, keep it simple.
This morning I ran across this interesting verse in my Bible time: "I fear," writes Paul, "lest your mind should be corrupted from the simplicity there is in Christ" (2 Cor. 11:3, KJV). Conybeare renders this, "single-minded faithfulness." The Jerusalem Bible translates it as "simple devotion." Goodspeed prefers "single-hearted fidelity." Sophistication in our culture foments pride and showy erudition. God's grace, on the other hand, reverses the process and makes us increasingly straightforward and childlike in our life with God. Psalm 19:7 celebrates the power of Scripture to "make wise the simple." The rule is, the wiser the simpler. If you've ever met a truly wise person. you know that partly by their writings. Here I think of a Chuck Swindoll or a John Stott or an Elton Trueblood or an Elizabeth Elliott. Their writings seem to be shining examples of simplicity. Their books are transparently clear and ruthlessly succinct. I also think that such simplicity is found in the Bible itself. Anyone who wants to be a simple follower of Jesus Christ would do well to read the Gospels.
Succinctness enhances focus, efficiency, clarity, and accessibility in communication. It makes it easier for an audience to understand and respond to what is written. Happily, it also saves time for both the writer and the reader. Brevity and succinctness go hand in hand. Both enable you to keep things short and to the point. There's nothing extra to distract readers from the main point. When you write something succinctly and simply, it's more likely to stick in people's minds.
Believe me, it's not easy to be succinct. It's all about finding that sweet spot where you're clear but not cutting out the meat of what you're saying. Think of succinctness as trimming your hedge. Everything becomes clearer, sharper, and a bit easier to understand.
Succinctness and simplicity? Why not give them a try?