I recently saw, 180° South. A documentary about climbing, sailing, surfing, Chile, bearded dudes, an attractive Easter Island female surfer/musician, entrepreneurialism, and pressing global industrialization and conservation issues. It got my attention, but the best thing about it is that it turned me on to Yvon Chouinard (founder of Patagonia) and his book, Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman.

As someone who had every intention of avoiding a desk job and happens also to love risky, outdoor sports, the title alone hooked me. Anyway, I just started it. And already, I’m impressed. Particularly with the way he approaches making things.  Below is a quote worth keeping in mind no matter what you make. Songs, websites, mobile apps, shoes, movies, espresso machines, commercials, houses. Whatever.

“In anything at all, perfection is finally attained not when there is no longer anything to add, but when there is no longer anything to take away, when a body has been stripped down to its nakedness.”

This might feel like common sense because it is. But common sense is not common, and simplicity is hard to execute. It forces you to get to an essence of an idea. And many times, it means you have to start all over again because the idea is just not strong enough in its most simple expression. That’s ok. It’s all part of the process. Timelines and customer expectations make it sometimes difficult to double back, but it’s worth it for everyone.

Everything great we’ve done in the interactive space has been simple and focused. From Subservient Chicken to Whopper Sacrifice to Pizza Tracker to Open Forum to Twelpforce and beyond, the best things have all been easy to use, understand, and talk about. They don’t hide beneath advanced features (no one uses them). They’re about the necessary ones.

The bottom line is that simple is sticky as hell. It’s why pop music works, there’s a fight move called the 1” punch, and we like the idea of things that require only one push of a button.

I like your style, Chouinard. I’m inspired and look forward to turning more pages.