It's Not That Simple... Or Is It?

A Personal Detour

Usually, when we talk about personal or professional development, we think of specialized books, practical guides, or biographies of successful people. But recently I discovered that you can learn just as much, if not more, from stories, from books that aren't branded as personal development books.

I finished reading the first three books in the Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski, and even though it's a fantasy series, I found two extremely valuable lessons in it for my day-to-day work as a developer and project manager. These lessons seem contradictory at first, but together they form a powerful approach to navigating life's complexities.

Geralt and the Shades of Gray

The main character, Geralt of Rivia, is a monster hunter. At first glance, it seems simple: monsters are evil, people are good, and he needs to protect people. But the reality in the books is much more complex.

Geralt doesn't see the world in black and white. He doesn't just see monsters that need to be killed. He interprets life in a much more complex way, the way life actually is. He understands that there isn't always an easy answer, that there isn't always a clear "good" or "bad" solution.

The First Lesson: Life Is Complex

This perspective made me think about my work. When working with clients, when working with colleagues, when dealing with uncertainties in projects, I need to constantly remind myself that

There isn't always an easy answer. There isn't always a perfect solution. Situations are complicated, people are complicated, and the decisions we make always have shades of gray.

When a client asks for a feature that seems impossible, it's not necessarily that the client is "bad" or that the requirement is "wrong." Maybe there's a deeper understanding of their needs that we need to discover. When a colleague doesn't understand something, it doesn't mean they're "incompetent" - maybe our communication wasn't clear enough, or maybe their perspective brings something valuable to the table.

There isn't always a "if only X were different, everything would be perfect." Situations are complex, and solutions require thinking, empathy, and understanding of context.

The Second Lesson: The Biggest Lie

But here's where it gets interesting. I recently heard a quote that stuck with me. Someone asks a character: "What's the biggest lie you've ever heard?" And the character responds: "It's not that simple." The person asks: "Why?" And the character clarifies: "No, I mean the lie itself -

This hit me hard because it reveals a paradox. While life is indeed overwhelmingly complicated, sometimes the phrase "it's not that simple" becomes an excuse. It becomes a way to avoid taking action, to avoid pursuing what we really want.

The Paradox: Complex Yet Simple

So here's the dual approach I'm trying to adopt: Life is incredibly complex, and we should acknowledge that complexity. But at the same time, when we want to pursue something that's truly important to us, we can choose to believe that it's simple. We can choose not to overcomplicate things, not to think about all the things that could go wrong, and just say: "It's possible. This is simple. I can do it. Let's do it."

This isn't about being naive or ignoring reality. It's about recognizing that while the world is complex, our path forward doesn't always need to be. Sometimes, the most powerful thing we can do is to simplify our approach, to focus on what matters, and to take action despite the complexity around us.

Finding the Balance

When I face a difficult situation, I try to see the nuances and understand the complexity, just like Geralt. But when I need to take action on something important, I also remember that sometimes the biggest obstacle is my own belief that "it's not that simple."

Life isn't black or white - it's gray, with many shades, and that's what makes it interesting. But when it comes to pursuing what matters, sometimes we need to cut through that complexity and just do it.

What do you think? Is life too complex to simplify, or do we sometimes overcomplicate things unnecessarily? I'd love to hear your perspective.

P.S. If you haven't read the Witcher series yet, I recommend it. Not just for the captivating stories, but also for the lessons you can extract from them, even though they're not branded as personal development books.