1-1-1: Simplify Your Life

Happy Thursday!

Here are 1 visual, 1 idea, and 1 question to explore this week.

VISUAL OF THE WEEK

THE BIG IDEA

Most of us think the key to a better life is more. More habits, more tools, more effort. I used to think that too. Stack enough routines and apps, and surely clarity will emerge, right?

But here’s the catch: more isn’t always the answer. Often, it’s the problem. You don’t improve your life by piling on. You improve it by peeling away what doesn’t matter.

The tricky part isn’t starting new things. It’s letting go of the old ones. The routines that used to feel productive but now just weigh you down. The belief that busyness equals progress. It’s like a sculptor working on a block of clay.

They don’t create by adding more material. They chip away at what’s extra to reveal the shape underneath. That’s the real discipline: subtraction.

Take SpaceX’s rockets. The evolution of rocket engines has evolved in less clutter but more thrust force generated.

Question every single part, every process, and cut anything that doesn’t absolutely contribute. Less weight, less clutter, more impact. Subtraction in action.

I’ve felt this shift myself. A while back, I was drowning in “productivity.” I had fitness goals, writing projects, a new startup I wanted to work on, and a dozen apps to track it all. It looked impressive on paper, but I was stuck.

I dropped the goals that didn’t really light me up. I ditched the tools that promised efficiency but just added noise.

Suddenly, with less on my plate, I had more momentum.

That’s the mindset shift: don’t ask what else you can do. Ask what you can stop doing. At least once a month, I take a hard look at what’s on my plate. not to tweak it, but to simplify it.

What used to feel like discipline might now be friction holding me back. Subtraction doesn’t always feel like progress in the moment, but it’s how you clear the runway to move faster.

The game isn’t about who can juggle the most. It’s about who can focus on the right things with the least drag.

WEEKLY QUESTION

What’s one thing you could subtract today to make room for what really matters?

OUTLIER TOOLS & RESOURCES

I. Heptabase

Heptabase turns your scattered notes into structured thinking maps. Its spatial canvases let you visually organize knowledge, connect ideas across topics, and make sense of complex systems all in a way that mirrors how high-context thinkers actually work.

II. Typedream

Typedream is the easiest way to build beautiful, web-native pages perfect for founders, creators, and idea people who want to ship fast without sacrificing polish. Think Notion simplicity meets website-level design.

III. Reflect

Reflect is a privacy-first note-taking app that mirrors the way your brain thinks. Linked, fluid, and contextual. With backlinking, graph views, and fast capture, it becomes a second brain that keeps up with your curiosity.

Thanks for reading!

How did you like this week’s newsletter?

Share your thoughts—let’s chat about it. A big thank you for joining us on this journey of exploration and bold thinking!

Until next Thursday,

Carlo Sabatella
Founder of Neuron Visuals