Joshua Fields Millburn's Blog, page 5
June 17, 2024
Podcast 447 | Trade-Offs
In this public episode of The Minimalists Podcast, The Minimalists discuss minimalist trade-offs, non-objects, pleasures that can’t be purchased, and more. Listen to the full Maximal episode on The Minimalists Private Podcast.
Listen to the Minimal EpisodeApple · Spotify · YouTube · Patreon · MP3
Discussed in This EpisodeHow do you decide between two things when you have the money for only one?What is your favorite pleasure that money can’t buy?Listener tip: The Imagination Library.Does it call more attention to your clothes if you’re a minimalist who refuses to wear logos?How can I turn my smartphone into a simple distraction-free device?How do you decide whether you should get rid of a sentimental item or keep it?Do you keep track of a “to be read” list for books?What should I do if my partner thinks my newfound minimalism is just a phase?How do JFM and T.K. remember so many quotes, passages, and lyrics?Obsolete Object: Sarah’s food dehydrator.Minimal MaximsJoshua, Ryan, and T.K.’s pithy, shareable, less-than-140-character responses. Find more quotes from The Minimalists at MinimalMaxims.com.
A thirsty person is more susceptible to contaminated water.Money saves time, but it can’t buy the courage to be present.Buying a Rolex will not buy you more time.Money buys presents, not presence.There’s no refund for misspent time.The absence of tattoos is the new tattoo.Logos are not bad, but corporations are not a proxy for self-expression.Every distraction is a straightjacket that obstructs your freedom.There are no sentimental items, only sentimental people. If it gets in the way, it’s clutter. “Have to” can strangle the joy out of “get to.” Benefits are more persuasive than doctrine.Links Mentioned in This EpisodeAdded Value: “blackjack”Album: The Miseducation of Lauryn HillBook: Bright Lights, Big City Book: Brightness Falls Book: Catechism of the Catholic Church Book: Everything That Remains Book: How to Read a Book Book: How to Turn 39 Book: Infinite Jest Book: The Catcher in the Rye Book: The Pale King Book: The Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas Book: A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again Film: The BoyFilm: Less is NowHome Tour: The Book DietPodcast: Memory ClutterTour: The Everything TourTV Series: Prison BreakWebsite: Apple Music 100 Best AlbumsWebsite: The Imagination LibraryFollow Our TeamSubscribe to The Minimalists via email.The post Podcast 447 | Trade-Offs appeared first on The Minimalists.
June 10, 2024
Podcast 446 | Spiritual Clutter
In this public episode of The Minimalists Podcast, The Minimalists discuss the clutter that is often caused by spirituality, religion, and different ideologies. Listen to the full Maximal episode on The Minimalists Private Podcast.
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Discussed in This EpisodeShould I declutter some of my accessories that might be cluttering my spiritual practice? What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the term “spirituality”?What are the 10 free minimalist resources from The Minimalists? Listener tip: an app a day!How do I let go of the pain from the past and still hold on to the lessons I learned from that pain?Should I leave my corporate job if it no longer aligns with my values?How can I have a relationship with my parents if I’m repulsed by their religion?What can we do when our religious beliefs conflict with our values?More About Less: The 5 most popular daily quotes from Waking Up. Minimal MaximsJoshua, Ryan, and T.K.’s pithy, shareable, less-than-140-character responses. Find more quotes from The Minimalists at MinimalMaxims.com .If an accessory does not markedly enhance an activity, it is clutter.Consumerism is the ideology that buying more things will make you better.Spirituality is who we are, not what we do.Every ideology comes prepackaged with clutter.Nonsense is always nonsensical, even if it looks good on a bumper sticker. Pain is helpful until we cling to it.The location of the pain is not the root of the pain.Our values are not expressed by the words we write down, but by the way we spend our lives.Loving someone involves allowing them to suffer.Often the best way to love someone is from a distance.Links Mentioned in This EpisodeAdded Value: “Change Your Heart or Die”Book: Everything’s Spiritual Book: Minimalist Rulebook Book: Rich Dad, Poor Dad Download: Free ResourcesEssay: Understanding Your ValuesFilm: Sasquatch SunsetPodcast: Everything’s SpiritualPodcast: The RobCastPodcast: Useless ThingsFollow Our TeamJoshua Fields MillburnRyan NicodemusT.K. ColemanMalabamaPost-Production PeterSubscribe to The Minimalists via email.The post Podcast 446 | Spiritual Clutter appeared first on The Minimalists.
June 5, 2024
Store-Brand Insecurity
Picture the coolest people who have ever graced our screens—
be it James Dean or Joan Didion, Dua Lipa or Denzel Washington—
now imagine any of them posting hateful comments on social media.
Such behavior is difficult to envision
because being flustered is incongruent with their poise.
The most composed people are paragons of self-assuredness.
They possess serious IDGAF energy.
Even in turmoil, they appear unperturbed.
They lack the knee-jerk judgments that are a byproduct of insecurity.
On the other hand…
You care what other people think—
you yearn for their acceptance—
because there’s an underlying dissatisfaction in your own life.
Although this malaise of craving causes great suffering,
misery is the norm in today’s affirmation-obsessed society.
If you were completely satisfied with yourself—
with your relationships, career, and geography,
your finances, generosity, and status,
your priorities, fitness, and possessions—
then it couldn’t possibly matter
what other people thought about you.
(James Dean was famously undisturbed by critics.)
Despite this truth, I have good news:
Your dissatisfaction is not even your own.
It was handed to you
by your culture,
your peers,
your community.
Imagine a neighbor who tells you she’s disappointed
because you don’t own a private jet
or a professional sports franchise.
You would laugh it off.
Why, then, do you care
what that same person thinks
about your
hair,
car,
creed,
or calendar?
Because you want to fit in.
Almost everyone wants to fit in
because they’re afraid
they’ll look like a fool
if they don’t.
Ironically, real fools clamor for adulation;
we refer to them as “try-hards” or “brownnosers.”
(Joan Didion didn’t fit in—she stood out—yet she was no fool.)
In colloquial terms,
the average person’s thirst for acceptance
is oft-referred to as lacking self-confidence.
But perhaps a new term is in order: store-brand insecurity.
Insecurity makes sense
when one exists in a place of true lack.
When I was 80 pounds overweight and six-figures in debt,
I lacked the restraint and money I needed
to get to my enough point,
so I felt a healthy dose diffidence
until I maneuvered out of those craters.
However…
Once I escaped my basin of discontent,
I had no right to feel dissatisfied about anything.
Any remaining timidity was a product of
cultural conditioning.
So…
There are two ways to increase your sense of security:
First, you can enhance externalities—
credit scores, square footage, job titles,
designer clothes, luxury cars, six-pack abs.
Maybe after a few decades of accumulation,
these accomplishments will hush your imaginary haters.
Or you can simply need less.
Just like you don’t need the jet or the sports team,
you also don’t need any amount of
worldly goods, wealth, or respect,
to make you you.
(Dua Lipa is still Dua without the makeup, money, or fans.)
Of course, there is no formula
that will instruct you “how to” want less.
Even so, you can need less
by dropping the false desire for more.
Chasing more is a trap,
a collective hallucination,
a disease that has metastasized the populace.
You don’t actually want more veneration
or more self-improvement
or more material items;
you want the happiness
and all the pleasant feelings
that you believe exist
on the other side of those things.
You already possess the happiness you’re looking for.
It is not found in externalities or acquisitions.
It lives in you, right here, right now,
veiled only by the false belief
that you are incomplete
and that obtaining more
will complete you.
Once you realize this gift—
once you understand the healing power of less—
everything changes
and
you become invulnerable
to the judgment of others.
This is the basis of genuine security.
Why is this second path—
the path of less—
always the path less traveled?
Because cluttering your exterior life
is easier than decluttering your interior.
Sure, it’s easy to camouflage dissatisfaction
with success objects—
with outfits and vehicles and trophies—
but that concealment is temporary.
When prized property turns into flotsam and jetsam,
as all things eventually do,
the only thing that remains is
your underlying insecurity.
It never went away.
Nevertheless…
When you need less,
insecurity downright disappears;
it is replaced by a deep satisfaction with the way things are,
not the way your coworkers, friends, and family “wish” they were.
When you need less,
you no longer feel the misguided urge to impress anyone.
(Denzel doesn’t care whether we’re impressed by his life.)
Paradoxically, this disposition is far more impressive to many people.
Yet that no longer matters, either.
When you need less,
the only thing that remains is
a perfect peace that cannot be purchased
or handed to you by anyone.
The post Store-Brand Insecurity appeared first on The Minimalists.
June 3, 2024
Podcast 445 | Gratitude Clutter
In this public episode of The Minimalists Podcast, The Minimalists talk about the fear of being too grateful, imposter syndrome, the problem with the pursuit of happiness, turning burdens into blessings, and more. Listen to the full Maximal episode on The Minimalists Private Podcast.
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Discussed in This EpisodeIs it possible to be too grateful?What’s one thing that was once a burden that you are now grateful for?What new position are The Minimalists now hiring for?Listener tip: insights from a massive decluttering session.What should I do if I’m a natural planner, but my over-planning makes me anxious?How do I balance preparing for future needs while staying present?When is the cost of clinging more expensive than the cost of letting go?Should I let go of my storage container before opening it so I don’t risk holding on to its sentimental contents?Is this love song actually about fear?Obsolete object: letting go in the blink of an eye.What’s the difference between a problem and a situation?Minimal MaximsJoshua, Ryan, and T.K.’s pithy, shareable, less-than-140-character responses. Find more quotes from The Minimalists at MinimalMaxims.com.
The pursuit of happiness is not the solution—it is the problem.Minimalism is not the destination; it’s how you get there.Forced gratitude limits one’s ability to appreciate the present moment.Good things become bad things when they get in the way.Every blessing is a reframed burden.Gratitude is found in the palm of your hand once you loosen your grip.Pain is a byproduct of clinging.A cluttered home creates a cluttered mind, and a cluttered mind clutters the heart.The future clutters the present moment whenever it blocks being.The cost of letting go is less expensive than the cost of clinging.Our memories are not in our things; our memories are inside us.Links Mentioned in This EpisodeAdded Value: “Good Thing Going On”Article: Inverting the VexBook: Everything That Remains Book: Stumbling on Happiness Hiring: Studio & Events InternPodcast: Minimize FatPodcast: The Presence of AbsencePodcast: Useless ThingsFilm: Less is NowTour: The Everything TourSong: “Beautiful Things”Watch: The Science of Happiness: What Your Mother Didn’t Tell YouWatch: The Selling DeadlineWebsite: Colin WrightFollow Our TeamSubscribe to The Minimalists via email.The post Podcast 445 | Gratitude Clutter appeared first on The Minimalists.
May 27, 2024
Podcast 444 | The Algorithm
In this public episode of The Minimalists Podcast, The Minimalists sit down with the founder of Patreon, Jack Conte, to discuss the death of the follower, earning a living from creative work, why the joy of creating is often ruined by the demands of revenue, and more. Listen to the full Maximal episode on The Minimalists Private Podcast.
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Discussed in This EpisodeWhat’s the minimalist-approved way to ethically promote my creative work?If you could earn a living doing anything in the world, what would it be?What new two new segments are coming to The Minimalists Private Podcast?Listener insight: a poem about decluttering.What is the future of Patreon?How is social media negatively affecting artists and their audiences?How do I make the shift from an “ordinary job” to a more fulfilling “creative job”?What new improvements have Patreon been working on?What is Jack Conte’s favorite Pomplamoose song?Minimal MaximsJoshua, Ryan, and T.K.’s pithy, shareable, less-than-140-character responses. Find more quotes from The Minimalists at MinimalMaxims.com.
Good businesses make money; great businesses make a difference.Income is not the only important outcome.I dream of a world where there is no distinction between pay and play.The joy of creating is often extinguished by the demands of income.Don’t follow your passion—cultivate it.Links Mentioned in This EpisodeAdded Value: “Bust Your Kneecaps”Article: “The State of the Culture, 2024”Book: Amusing Ourselves to Death Book: So Good They Can’t Ignore You Book: We Are the Flowers Course: How to Write BetterFilm: MinimalismListen: PomplamooseTour: The Everything TourWatch: The Death of the FollowerWatch: Sunday SymposiumFollow Our TeamJoshua Fields MillburnRyan NicodemusT.K. ColemanMalabamaPost-Production PeterSubscribe to The Minimalists via email.The post Podcast 444 | The Algorithm appeared first on The Minimalists.
May 23, 2024
The Minimalists Are Hiring
Exciting announcement! The Minimalists are now hiring one well-paid Studio & Events Intern for our podcast studio in West Hollywood. The role and responsibilities are described below.
If you’re interested in applying, email a short smartphone video to jobs@theminimalists.com. In that video, talk about why you’d be a great fit for the position. Please keep it two minutes or less. Deadline to submit is 5 PM PDT on Sunday, June 9, 2024. We will select five people for full-length interviews within two weeks.
Applicants must live in—or be willing to relocate to—Southern California (L.A. area). You must also be friendly, organized, willing to learn, timely, and honest. Once hired, you must be available 2–3 days per week (shifts are typically 4+ hours), and your availability must be flexible. There will be opportunities for full-time work in the future.
Studio & Events Intern ResponsibilitiesHelp The Minimalists Podcast run smoothlyAttend podcast recording sessions and production meetingsGreet and accommodate podcast guestsCollect podcast notes and timestamps during recordingsProofread show notes and writingsPick up supplies for podcast studioScreen calls for podcast episodesParticipate in studio/equipment organizing and cleanupPrepare coffee, tea, and water for podcast recordingsInteract with fans of The Minimalists when promptedAssist with event planning and live podcastsRetrieve mail and packages for the officeDo handiwork around the office and studioAid audio engineer on a variety of recording tasksTake behind-the-scenes photos for our podcast and eventsEngage in other miscellaneous tasks as requestedOptional experience: photography, videography, audio recording, social mediaWe can’t wait to see your smiling face!
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May 20, 2024
Everything in Los Angeles
I had a gnarly fever last week. I didn’t want to get our team sick, so I avoided going into the studio. Ergo, no public podcast episode this week. My apologies.
But don’t fret! We released a special two-hour bonus episode, “Everything in Los Angeles,” featuring Ryan Nicodemus and Rey Flemings, today on Patreon. While you’re there, you can also catch up on our 12 Favorite Podcast Episodes.
T.K., Malabama, and I will see you next Monday for episode 444!
Much love,
JFM
P.S. I tried more cowbell, but it didn’t help the fever.
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May 13, 2024
Podcast 443 | The Presence of Absence
In this public episode of The Minimalists Podcast, The Minimalists discuss space hoarding, reification, the key to freedom, generosity, and more. Listen to the full Maximal episode on The Minimalists Private Podcast.
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Discussed in This EpisodeIs my landlord a space hoarder if they won’t let me use their empty garage for storage?What’s one thing you’re unwilling to share?What are Thursday Konversations with T.K. Coleman?Listener insight: Using OCD as a superpower.How do I let go of a family member who is making my life unbearably difficult?Where do I start if I hate my life and, even though I’m married, I feel alone?Does the title of your podcast fully reflect what it’s about?Should I minimize my sick pet if I’m unable to take care of them?Is there anything you could buy at a mall that you’ll care about 10 years from now?Does this laundry advertisement suck?Will The Minimalists’ 30-Day Rule make your life easier?Minimal MaximsJoshua, Ryan, and T.K.’s pithy, shareable, less-than-140-character responses. Find more quotes from The Minimalists at MinimalMaxims.com.
Simplicity is not the absence of stuff; it is the presence of absence.Never share the things that compromise your capacity to share.The key to freedom is a willingness to walk away.If you are dissatisfied with the effect, let go of the cause.Every hellscape contains an emergency exit.Do unto others without asking them to do unto you.Generosity is the great despair extinguisher.To love someone is to see them for who they are without trying to change them.Love is not an emotion, nor is it an action—it is a state of being.Organizing is well-planned hoarding.Sadness is the ego’s favorite food.Do not confuse the label for the product.Links Mentioned in This EpisodeAdded Value: “Ending Credits”Article: Spring Cleaning: The Minimalist 30 Day Rule That’s Making My Life EasierBook: Emotional Clutter Book: How to Turn 39 Book: The Four Agreements Book: Why We Sleep Film: Less is NowPodcast: George KamelPodcast: The Dr. John Delony ShowPodcast: RestraintPodcast: Savage LovecastResource: The 30-Day Minimalism GameSong: “So Sick of Love Songs”Tour: The Everything TourWebsite: Shawn MihalikFollow Our TeamSubscribe to The Minimalists via email.The post Podcast 443 | The Presence of Absence appeared first on The Minimalists.
May 9, 2024
Fresno Event Canceled
I have good news and bad news…
THE GOOD NEWS is we found a lovely new outdoor venue in Fresno to accommodate the 400 people who RSVP’d for our Everything Tour stop this Saturday, May 11, 2024.
THE BAD NEWS is I am sick with a gnarly fever, and I need to cancel this weekend’s event so I can use that time to recover. Plus, I’d hate to get y’all sick. Thanks for understanding.
We’ll do our best to make it up to you in the future. We’ve never had a tour stop in Fresno, and it’s definitely on my Bucket List.
In the meantime, you’re welcome to join us for either of our final two Everything Tour events in San Diego (June) or San Francisco (July).
Much love,
JFM
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May 6, 2024
Podcast 442 | Rental Culture
In this public episode of The Minimalists Podcast, The Minimalists speak with Lisa Ann about the benefits of renting clothes, homes, cars, books, tools, and more. They also talk about when it’s best to own a thing instead of renting it. Listen to the full Maximal episode on The Minimalists Private Podcast.
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Discussed in This EpisodeWhat should I do with my wardrobe if my style preferences constantly change?What’s one thing you’d rather rent than own? And what’s one thing you’d rather own than rent?How does letting go of things help people let go of resentment?How did Lisa Ann rent her dog?What are The Minimalists’ favorite brands of T-shirts?Is it considered cheating if my husband watches pornography? Should I leave him if he keeps watching?What am I doing wrong if I keep being ghosted?Would I experience more peace if I sold my house and just rented a home going forward?What’s JFM’s funniest Lisa Ann story?Minimal MaximsJoshua, Ryan, and T.K.’s pithy, shareable, less-than-140-character responses. Find more quotes from The Minimalists at MinimalMaxims.com.
“Trendy” is an adjective that means “soon to go out of style.”Ownership is an illusion. Everything is a rental.Ownership is a burden whenever it gets in the way of a blessing. A brand name is not a substitute for confidence or personal style.Complimentary differences ignite relationship passion; irreconcilable differences extinguish that passion. The present does not need to be constructed with bricks from the past.If someone dislikes you, it says something about them; if everyone dislikes you, it says something about you.Taboos exist only if you allow other people to hand them to you.Links Mentioned in This EpisodeAdded Value: GOATAdded Value: “We Still Don’t Trust You”Book: Love People, Use Things Book: Project 333 Book: The Life Back Book: Minimalist Rulebook Documentary: MinimalismHome Tour: Bare MinimaInstagram: Lisa AnnPodcast: Homeownership vs. RentingPodcast: ClothingPodcast: Porn AddictionPodcast: Savage LovecastTour: The Everything TourWebsite: NuulyFollow Our TeamSubscribe to The Minimalists via email.The post Podcast 442 | Rental Culture appeared first on The Minimalists.
