🧵Minimalism: A Personal Story
Hear me out & this 🧵 might improve your life by 10%.
Years ago I had a big financial win. To celebrate, I bought a brand new Porsche 911 Turbo convertible—the car I had dreamed about as a teen (pic below is the actual 🚙).
It was beautiful but…
Hear me out & this 🧵 might improve your life by 10%.
Years ago I had a big financial win. To celebrate, I bought a brand new Porsche 911 Turbo convertible—the car I had dreamed about as a teen (pic below is the actual 🚙).
It was beautiful but…
…that night I couldn’t sleep. The thing that had embodied winning for 13-year-old Kevin wasn’t bringing 40-year-old Kevin the joy I expected.
In fact, it was stressing me out.
It wasn’t financial stress—the car wasn’t a stretch—it was more of a feeling that…
In fact, it was stressing me out.
It wasn’t financial stress—the car wasn’t a stretch—it was more of a feeling that…
…the car was taking up space in my life, crowding out things that I cared about more.
The next morning I took the Porsche back to the dealer and told the manager, “amazing car, but not for me.” To the manager’s credit, he shook my hand and said, “Good for you.”
The next morning I took the Porsche back to the dealer and told the manager, “amazing car, but not for me.” To the manager’s credit, he shook my hand and said, “Good for you.”
📢 Hear this:
My point here is NOT that we shouldn’t have nice things.
It’s that we should only have things that bring us true joy. In today’s highlight reel world it can be hard to discern our true desires from what society tells us they should be.
My point here is NOT that we shouldn’t have nice things.
It’s that we should only have things that bring us true joy. In today’s highlight reel world it can be hard to discern our true desires from what society tells us they should be.
What I’m talking about here is minimalism.
Most people think of minimalism as a form of self-denial, suffering in pursuit of enlightenment.
It’s actually the opposite—minimalism is addition by subtraction, removing things from your life that don’t bring true joy so that…
Most people think of minimalism as a form of self-denial, suffering in pursuit of enlightenment.
It’s actually the opposite—minimalism is addition by subtraction, removing things from your life that don’t bring true joy so that…
…you can *gorge* on things that do. It’s mildly hedonistic!
If a 911–or a Rolex or a pair of Louboutins 👠—brings you joy, by all means buy it!
Just remember that:
👉Rich or poor, everything that you own owns a little piece of you.
If a 911–or a Rolex or a pair of Louboutins 👠—brings you joy, by all means buy it!
Just remember that:
👉Rich or poor, everything that you own owns a little piece of you.
Over time we learn that the things that bring the most joy aren’t things at all. Things are only valuable to the extent that they enable or magnify what matters most: experiences & relationships.
And paradoxically the greatest joy of all is bringing joy to others.
And paradoxically the greatest joy of all is bringing joy to others.
My wife & I have a big fancy house and it brings us immense joy, mostly because we enjoy sharing it with others (5 guests as I ✍️).
It enables & magnifies relationships.
It enables & magnifies relationships.
My 13 year old truck with 150k miles also brings me joy (immeasurably more than the the $200k Porsche) simply because it’s got sweet slide-out drawers for all my climbing gear & a bed for camping.
It enables me to pursue my passion 🧗♀️.
It enables me to pursue my passion 🧗♀️.
Is it time for you to take a hard look at your life & create more room for joy?
🤙
(If you enjoyed this I’d appreciate a RT.)
🤙
(If you enjoyed this I’d appreciate a RT.)
…aaaand now I’m getting Porsche ads in my feed 🤣
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