“At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want” – Lao Tzu
Simplicity, minimalism, the pursuit of less, 80/20 . These are all tools in our arsenal. Tools that can help us live our very own version of a focused, good life.
At their core all these tools have a similar beating heart. That heart is reduction.
We reduce the excess in our lives.
We reduce the clutter and noise.
We stop chasing more and focus on the right sort of enough instead.
We reduce commitments we’re not passionate about keeping so we can spend our time with people and projects we are passionate about.
We stop investing energy in tasks that don’t matter much (busywork) and focus our efforts on the work that may be tough, but that can really add value.
We reduce spend on physical possessions that add little satisfaction to our lives and focus more on life experiences instead.
In short, we seek to reduce the unnecessary so the necessary has room to breathe.
The Clarity of Constraints
Reduction gives us clarity. It gives us renewed perspective. It provides a laser like focus on whatever is left. Everything in our lives has to earn its place.
Following this path isn’t easy. Our culture pushes us in the totally opposite direction. It sells us on more. It tells us we need to supersize and that more is better. Consumption is an ever present and overriding message.
When we step back, we realise that this approach doesn’t serve us well. The truth is, it can leave us empty, both spiritually and literally in the case of our bank accounts. We need to walk a different path.
Utilise the tools of reduction – live a focused life on terms of your making.