Everything That Remains: A Memoir by The Minimalists

by Joshua Fields Millburn

Progress requires practice and dedication and, to a certain extent, a healthy obsession. Hence, passion is a mixture of love and obsession.

The best way to give yourself a raise is to spend less money. These days I know that every dollar I spend adds immense value to my life. There is a roof over my head at night, the books or the music I purchase add unspeakable value to my life, the few clothes I own keep me warm, the experiences I share with others at a movie or a concert add value to my life and theirs, and a meal from China Garden with my best friend becomes far more meaningful than a trip to the mall ever could.”

I no longer have goals. Instead of an arbitrary target, I prefer to have a direction in which I travel. If you’re searching for a sunrise, it’s important to head east. For a sunset, head west.

learned about something I call Transference—leveraging one’s current skillsets and transferring those skills to new endeavors.

I don’t do things I dislike, but I do do a lot of things that force me to feel discomfort. If I dislike an activity, I find a way to unfasten it from my daily life. But I also place myself in uncomfortable situations that help me grow.

success is a simple equation: Happiness + Growth + Contribution = Success.

We construct our own beliefs. Our friends, our habits, our jobs, our happiness is all up to us. We need to choose carefully.

Our possessions cost us money, which costs us time to earn. And then they cost us more time to take care of (e.g., clean the house, repair your car, clean your furniture, etc.). They take up extra space in our homes, costing us more money because we need to procure extra square footage

What have I learned? The bottom line: it’s all just stuff. And I don’t need most of it. But because I own it, that doesn’t make me a bad person—it just means that my priorities have been out of whack for a while. If anything, I think this entire process has helped me re-prioritize. It has helped me focus on what’s important. It’s crazy to see all the stuff that’s packed away, stuff I don’t ever use. I just don’t need it. Besides a handful of seasonal items (this is Ohio after all), I’m getting rid of everything still in those heaps of boxes in my livingroom. All of it. Which makes me realize that maybe with less stuff I don’t need the same income, and if I’m not tied to my income, then maybe I could do something different, something I’m passionate about.

Discontent sets in when you start living life for everyone but yourself.