Most people have zero essentialism in their lives. Their indulgence knows no bounds. Their lives and minds are cluttered and unpure. They mistake consumerism for happiness, seeking comfort at all costs on an endless quest to satisfy their insatiable desire for instant gratification. They want to fill themselves up, but that rarely leads to fulfillment. It's an endless trap.
Our kitchen has a cooking aggregate that supposedly simplifies cooking. It has been standing aimlessly in our kitchen for half a decade. It cost eighty hours’ worth of my mother’s life—eighty hours are gone—eighty hours! How does that not ignite fury? That’s how a life is wasted.
Most work jobs they don’t like to buy products they don’t need. So, if objects don’t bring happiness, what does? Maybe lying on the beach and overeating do?
I disagree. I refuse to accept that working a pointless job, buying useless products, and lying around is how life is meant to be lived.
Luckily, many reach the maturity level to understand that most objects aren’t necessary. They recognize the importance of less. I like to use mental exercises: Would I carry something over a mountain? Such is the test of whether something is essential.
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The art of less exceeds mere material possessions.
It’s an entire approach to life.
Essentialism is about finding happiness in nothing. It’s a reflection of the power of the indomitable spirit. It's about finding joy in the absence of pleasure, in discomfort. Most try to view life as a game to maximize pleasure. But that’s like swimming against the current, since the taste of life is pain.
Yes, instant gratification doesn’t lead anywhere. However, the concept of delayed gratification also has its limits. For example, if someone delays gratification and works hard to become wealthy solely to indulge in more extravagant parties, that form of gratification is still superficial. Once they acclimate to their new lifestyle, the initial excitement fades, and they find themselves in the same place as before—seeking satisfaction through external means. True fulfillment comes not from the mere postponement of pleasure but from pursuing deeper, more meaningful goals that contribute to lasting personal growth and contentment. So, the meditative approach to life eliminates the pursuit of shallow pleasure altogether.
Essentialism is about abandoning the search for happiness. It’s about the pursuit of uncompromising excellence.
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I'm a simple man; I don't need much. I am happy with the life I have built myself, and I regret very little. I enjoy every lived second. I write, record videos, and do sports, and that’s it. I don’t need anything else. Precisely because I live the simplest life, I have the craziest stories.
The more I let go of it, the faster I become. Subtraction accelerates. Uncompromising excellence, effortless ease, and timeless simplicity create an abundant life.
Recently, I got a gift card for a bookstore. I started to think of the books I wanted to buy. Then it hit me: I’m overthinking which book to buy even though I have books left to read? That’s unessential. I gave my gift card away. Reality likes to reward the giving. A few days later, a girl gifted me a philosophical book.
The art of less requires discipline. How else can one resist endless temptations? Well, but then let’s think further. How can one maintain this discipline? With purpose. Because writing is my current purpose, I don’t need anything else. Without direction in life, it’s impossible to resist life’s temptations.
I let go of as much as possible. Everyone has twenty-four hours; some make the most out of them, while others keep making excuses. Excellence is the art of doing without trying; it is the art of effortless action. Excellence comes from focus; focus from saying no. I encourage you to say no to more things. Behind every no, there’s a deeper yes.
What’s the purpose of meditation? To let go of pointless thoughts. Stillness is clarity.
What’s the point of essentialism? It’s simple. The point of needing less is liberty. The art of less is vital to a fulfilling life.
The heavier the boat, the slower it is.