Einstein’s 5 Principles for Making Complex Ideas Simple

Simplicity makes your ideas accessible, memorable, and impactful

Celia Fidalgo, PhD
4 min readJul 14, 2024
Photo by Tyler Lastovich on Unsplash

Albert Einstein was a master of simplicity.

His writing was clear, engaging, and logically sound, making even the most intricate concepts accessible.

Here we’ll delve into five techniques he uses that can help you transform your writing into a model of clarity and logical flow.

1. Use Analogies to Simplify Complex Ideas

One of Einstein’s standout techniques was his use of analogies to make intricate ideas accessible. He would draw parallels between the unfamiliar and the familiar, allowing readers to grasp complex concepts more easily.

When explaining the theory of relativity, Einstein famously used the analogy of a train traveling near the speed of light and a beam of light moving alongside it. This helped readers visualize the abstract principles of time dilation and space contraction through a more relatable scenario.

Identify a complex idea in your article and think about a common, relatable scenario that shares similar characteristics.

Use this analogy to help your readers understand the concept more intuitively. Analogies should be…

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Celia Fidalgo, PhD

Head of Product @ Cambridge Cognition, Behavioral Scientist @ Irrational Labs, PhD in psych, I help people apply the science of psychology to daily life.