I never thought of myself as a minimalist. I mean, I own stuff and don’t live in a tiny house where we make our own clothing and drill for our own water.
My eyes have been opened up lately though. I believe in purpose, mindfulness, and being a master of your domain, no matter where it is.
You know, this entrepreneurial journey has taken me from extreme highs to extreme lows, and in my quest for enlightenment, I have come to a few conclusions…
We are not, and we shouldn’t be defined by ‘stuff’… We unfortunately live in an overly-consumptive country in the most overly-consumptive time period in the history of Earth. — Do you really need that other pair of jeans or the new iPhone X?
I love to refer back to Rich Dad, Poor Dad where he talks about poor people buying things to make themselves feel rich, while those who put their investments back into themselves are the ones who are actually rich.
Makes me want to ask you the question of: How much did you spend on personal development this year versus how much you spend on clothing, entertainment and useless “stuff”?
I bet it’s lopsided. I’d bet hundred, if not thousands of dollars you’ve spend a fraction on personal development as you have on “things and stuff.”
Am I right?
“But Steven, personal development isn’t my thing”, is what I’m sure many of you are saying.
Bullshit! You’re not in the business of being a better person? Are you not wanting to live a great life where you know who you are and what you stand for?
“But I don’t have the time for personal development” is another great excuse. Because that’s what it is, an excuse. And we’re filled with them.
You can’t find a minimum of 10-20 minutes per day to break a sweat? Give yourself positive affirmations? To stop being selfish and start being selfless?
Moral of the story…
It wasn’t until I started taking inventory of my lifestyle, my habits, and my wants/needs that I finally realized what I need to not just survive, but to thrive.
Now, as I sit here surrounded by boxes about to head out on our 5 month minimum journey to Europe, I realize that all I need is right here; My internal purpose, my wife, my mindful perspective, the clothes on my back, and unfortunately, my computer / cell phone (how else am I going to keep in touch with you all?)
T-minus 4 days until lift-off.