Growth Through Minimalism

Growth Through Minimalism
by Joshua Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus
If you’re not growing, you’re dying.
—Anthony Robbins
The above quote might seem, by itself, like a banal platitude, one that doesn’t warrant
much discussion or contemplation or cerebration. But we’ll ask you to bracket your
skepticism for a moment and think about the following.
Think about a plant.
Think about a plant.
More specifically, think about a fruit.
A fruit you enjoy.
Let’s say it’s an apple.
When an apple is still on the tree, it’s still growing.
But once it’s picked, it starts to die.
This isn’t always apparent though.
When you see an apple at your local market, you don’t think of it as a dying thing.
In fact, ostensibly it’s “ripe,” which makes you think it’s in some sort of ideal
state.
This isn’t true though.
And as a person you are no different.
Things might look great on your surface.
They did for us: nice cars, big houses, high salaries, etc.
But we were dying on the inside.
Rotting when we appeared ripe.
Unhappy. Unfulfilled. Unsatisfied with life.
A life without meaning.
But guys, what the hell does this have to do with minimalism?
Nothing.
And yet, in a broader sense, everything.
Why did we get rid of our excess stuff? Well, there are a lot of answers, right?
To reclaim our time, to live a more meaningful life, to contribute to others, and…
To grow as individuals.
You see, like the apple, if we are not growing, we are dying.
And not just in the physical sense, but in every sense of the word.
Dying.
Physically, mentally, emotionally, financially, spiritually.
We hope this doesn’t sound like some abstract, esoteric pontificating.
Because it’s not.
It’s the truth. You are getting rid of the excess things in your life because they are
not important.
And if you want to feel alive, really alive, then you must grow.
What have you wanted to do for the longest time, but haven’t be able to because
you don’t have the time or the resources or the drive to do it?
Eat healthier?
Quit smoking?
Run a marathon?
Write a novel?
Quit your soul-crushing day job?
Travel around the world?
Start a popular blog?
You can. And all of these things will help you be more fulfilled.
Why? Because they help you grow as a person.
And growth isn’t always easy.
Sometimes the most growth comes from the most difficult tasks.
Think about working out.
More specifically, think about a basic exercise that many men and women do:
bicep curls.
When you’re doing ten bicep curls, which one is the most difficult?
Of course, the tenth one is most difficult.
But which curl helps you grow the most?