I got an email recently from a long-time subscriber, a friend really, who shared some of the challenges she was facing with her business.

It's not that she isn't smart, or great at what she does (she's brilliant, in fact).

It's just that over time her business seems to have got more and more complex. She's added little bits here and there, tried some new ways of marketing, tried some more…and eventually all those little extras have added up to “a real pigs ear”.

The end result: she's “fed up with being constantly shattered and not really getting anywhere…”.

Here's the thing that you must understand about this: we all go through it.

It happens to me.

It happens to all those experts who tell you business is easy if you just buy their magic system…

No one is immune. 

It's just that some people are brave enough to admit it.

And it doesn't just happen when you're starting up or struggling. Even if your business looks like it's flying to the outside world; inside you can be running around like crazy wishing you could just escape somehow and enjoy life more.

I don't have all the answers, I get this too.

But what always helps me is simplification.

Whenever I find myself running around and constantly worn out I try to think about what I would do if I was starting again from scratch.

What's the simplest business model I could use?

Frankly, it's not my goal to build an empire and take over the world. Making a decent living, helping people and having fun is what I aim for.

So I don't need some hugely sophisticated business. I suspect you don't either.

For me, a simple model that works is to have something free to give away to get email subscribers, then to send some of my best tips and ideas by email on a regular basis and to offer a product that will help people implement my ideas and get great results from it.

I don't get any massive windfalls through that model. No sexy product launches or big paydays. I doubt it'll ever make me a gazillionaire.

Just a steady stream of satisfied clients and happy subscribers who appreciate what I do.

When I add extras and bells and whistles to that model, I get better results. 

But I also add complexity and work. Over time I get seriously diminishing returns. 

And my time and sanity mean a lot more to me than the extra money. 

So every now and then I do the exercise of thinking “what would I do if I had to start from scratch?” 

Every time I come up with a slightly different answer (after all, I've learnt new things and grown since I last did the exercise). But every time the answer is much simpler than the muddle I've ended up with.

I think that's healthy. I don't think we should be afraid to admit when we're getting overwhelmed. Most of us aren't gurus peddling an image of an easy life on a beach working just a few hours a day.

In the real world, we all get stressed and overwhelmed.

And going back to basics helps us all.