The underrated art of simplification
We laughed at Trump for needing things dumbed down. But the ability to simplify without losing the essence is one of the most valuable, and rarest, skills there is.
Originally published april 2023 on stijnbakker.com
Trump needed things dumbed down, everyone laughed.
But here’s the thing nobody admits: simplification is an incredibly valuable skill. And almost nobody can do it well.
The trick isn’t making things short. It’s making things simple without losing the essence. Crafting a story that can be followed instantly. Where every part is understood on its own. Where the pieces build toward a conclusion that stands on its own weight.
That requires two things most people don’t have simultaneously.
First, you need to deeply understand your material. You can’t simplify what you don’t fully grasp. The physicist who explains quantum mechanics in plain language understands it better than the one who hides behind jargon. Simplification isn’t dumbing down, it’s distilling.
Second, you need to understand your audience. What they already know. What they care about. What metaphors will land. What level of abstraction they can comfortably hold in their head.
Most experts fail at this. They know their domain inside out but can’t explain it to anyone outside their bubble. They mistake complexity for rigor. They confuse “thorough” with “clear.”
The people who can take something genuinely complex and make it genuinely simple, without losing the truth of it, are rare. And valuable. In any field.