A Guide to Self-Reliance Minimalism

by Jeffrey Tang · Comments

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I never considered myself a minimalist. I’ve always been a fan of efficiency, of not wasting time or resources, but I always resisted labeling myself as a card-carrying member of the minimalist club.

Looking back, I think my resistance boiled down to this: I hadn’t taken the time to own minimalism. To change the lighting, move the camera, and find a minimalism that was uniquely mine.

Today I found it. And it wasn’t even on purpose.

It just so happened that today two wonderful articles on minimalism appeared in my RSS reader:

If you have some time, please check these posts out. Even if you’re not a minimalist. Or a man.

It’s strange and amazing how things can come together at just the right time. I read these two articles in quick succession, and suddenly things clicked. I had one of those moments of crystal-clear, heart-pounding insight. But before I explain what I realized, I need to tell you something about myself.

I am a huge – HUGE – believer in the potential of individual people. Individual people do great things every single day, beating the odds and the critics all at once. You and me and the human spirit – we’re amazing. I could go on all day about this. I could even write an entire blog about it … oh wait.

Anyway, as I was saying, I had an incredible, mind-blowing, everything’s connected insight, boiling down to this:

Minimalism is the greatest possible tribute to the power of you.

Here’s what I mean.

As with any idea, there are different types of minimalism. It can be focused on reducing clutter. On streamlining finances. On being a real man – or woman, for that matter. And these are all great ways to think about minimalism. But they’re not for me. They’re not my way. They don’t make me get up on a soapbox and annoy my friends about them.

For me, minimalism comes from a rock-solid, unshakable, 100% belief that you are enough. That’s what “self-reliance minimalism” is to me.

“Thinking about men I admired, it dawned on me that most had a quiet contempt towards any excess of material possessions. Their expertise and confidence were displayed by the fact that they did not require much to live successfully.” – from “Go Small Or Go Home”

It means:

  • Having a conviction that you don’t need stuff to survive or succeed.
  • Knowing that you don’t need to hide behind convolutions and equivocations.
  • Knowing that your own mind and body are your two greatest, unlimited, inexhaustible, and infinitely renewable resources.
  • Having the courage to say, “I don’t need this to get me where I’m going.”
  • Never, ever allowing your potential to go to waste.
  • Getting rid of anything that gets in the way of YOU doing great things.

Now all this may lead to things like clearing clutter, reducing friction, and buying less, but for me, what’s most important is where all these actions come from. That’s what motivates me.

Becoming a Self-Reliance Minimalist

“Making things harder isn’t a bad thing. When we must do things ourselves, and it costs us in time and effort, it forces us to consider whether it’s worth doing at all.” – from “Unautomate”

If you’ve read this far, you know that this is something that clicked for me today. It’s new territory for me. I haven’t had time to test it or refine it – which is great, because instead of preaching about it, I’ll need to actually live it.

Will you help me put this into action? Here’s what I’m trying to do:

  • Focus on acquiring abilities, not tools. Instead of buying a bunch of gadgets to help me get a job done, let’s spend more time learning the skills behind the job. Tools are just things, but skills become part of us.
  • Get out of the “just in case” trap. Let’s stop hoarding stuff (money, books, guarantees, etc.) in the name of “What if?” and have the courage to rely on our ability to deal with crises.
  • Save with a purpose. Instead of saving money (or energy) just because someone said it was a good idea, let’s save with a clear goal in mind. Let’s spend less money now, with the express intent of using it on something specific later. Let’s save energy here, so we can make better use of it there.
  • Get rid of the redundant. Minimalism is usually about getting rid of the unnecessary. I say get rid of the redundant. Remember, your primary resource is yourself. Toss anything that simply repeats your own abilities.
  • Learn to trust yourself. To me, getting rid of stuff is an act of extreme self-confidence. It’s a declaration that, whatever happens, you can face it – and conquer it – without a bunch of stuff to hide behind.

What Do You Think?

Does this make sense to you? How do you approach the idea of minimalism? What do you like or not like about it? What crazy, out-of-nowhere, come-together insights have you had?

Let’s have a great conversation in the comments!

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  • Suzanne
    "Having a conviction that you don’t need stuff to survive or succeed."

    Although I'm a minimalist materially, I don't think a blanket conviction to not needing stuff is useful. Here's why. If you want to be a successful internet entrepreneur, you need the right stuff. Of course you could do it on dial-up and a 5 year old machine, but cable and a 2 year old machine is going to make it easier. Any crafts-person will tell you that having the right tools, and good quality tools makes all the difference.

    I like to be very deliberate about the tools I surround myself with and the degree to which they enhance and/or clutter my life. I also consider the environmental impact of them.

    "Stuff" is a big domain. I know where you're coming from though.
  • I like the term "Self Reliance Minimalism" a lot because I feel empowered when reading about it. It sounds really great to gain more power from within yourself instead of focusing on outer things. It empowers me to think about appreciating my body more, to train and to see whats possible for myself "alone".
  • I just re-read this post, it's excellent. I have also been de-cluttering, reducing, and simplifying, but all of this has been with a goal. I do it to make sure that I can make the best use of my time, energy, and mind. I find that by taking certain steps to simplify, I can have a much more quite mind that allows me to do more focused work as necessary.

    Thank you for this post.
  • markflagg
    I came across your discussion while poking around for articles related to miniaturization (in electronics, consumer goods, medical devices, cars, etc.) and self-concept. I'm speculating on the paradox of how our abilities to express a self concept suffer with the 'growth' - proliferation of small things originally meant to foster communication. Think of Twitter, cell phones, texting...
    A 140 character tweet means little room for developing ideas. 'Ten thousand birds twittering/ telephone wires sing/ Still there is no symphony.' (This is the paradox of Haiku)
  • I can see the difficulty there. Simplification is good, I think, but there are limitations. The extreme of simplicity is stasis, where nothing changes, nothing happens. It applies to technology too ... a computer can only be so small before it becomes physically unusable.

    For me, minimalism (and simplification) always has a stopping point. That's why I prefer to start from the top (i.e., a situation where things are bigger and more cluttered) then slowly pare down until I'm satisfied. What do you think?
  • markflagg
    The miniaturization of the telephone, combined now with its multi-functionality, can give one an illusion of living with less. "I've just got my IPOD," but there are a fifty apps on it, so my focus is all on the phone as I walk about ignorant of the actual world. Yesterday, a gorgeous Indian Summer day, a man walked in the woods texting. He couldn't see the forest for the Ts, you could say.
    I'd say he has become much less self-reliant, since he can't go anywhere without his phone.
    He is linked to a virtual world perhaps, but out of touch with this one. He has made his 'self' minimally vital to the real world as he's taken himself out of it.
  • Uri
    Fantastic. I'm a firm believer that you don't need much to be happy and your don't need a lot of tools to do what you want to to.
    Those two articles you mentioned (in the Art of Manliness and Leo's mnmlist.com) are two great examples and guides on what we should aim at, but as you pointed out very clearly, each of us understand and *is* minimalist in his/her own way. You hit the nail just there. Bravo.

    I've been writing and pointing things like this for some time in Minimal (http://mnmal.tumblr.com/), and with your permission I'd like to post a link to this post.
  • Name
    I would highly recommend The Happy Minimalist that came out last year.
    The website is www.TheHappyMinimalist.net
  • kim_selfimprovementmotivation1
    I never really thought too much about minimalism until I realized how complicated life seemed. You give some really good advice here. I think two of the biggest lessons I've had to learn over the past year is to 'get rid of clutter' and 'don't depend on material things' for happiness.
  • Hello Jeff. I think you have put your finger on a profound piece of the "minimalist puzzle". Namely, you need in your life precisely everything necessary to being yourself. And nothing else. Any man or woman who "Knows Thyself" gathers things they need to carry out their aim in life. Such an enlightened soul knows when to stop too. A man with the heart of a software developer may accumulate tools galore for his Journey for instance, but won't clutter his life with heaps more...just as toys. Why? They detract from his Mission. In truth, he's a real "minimalist" in his soul...just as you pointed out. But...of course...there's a catch to becoming a bona fide "minimalist". You have to learn the Art of Being Yourself. A great big bonus comes with authentic "minimalism" though. It's called "happiness". True blue authentic Human Beings following their callings get that treasured thing Joseph Campbell called "the Bliss". Ciao Jeff and thanks for the insights. John Duffield
  • I can't think of a better way to capture the true essence of minimalism: "you are enough." I suspect that if we could just stay there, right there, then everything else would fall away and we'd lighten the load for rest of the journey, almost effortlessly. So thanks for the words of wisdom.
  • Like others, I also found your blog via Zenhabits
    Loved this post and will be back for more.
    I'm working on minimalism myself and your post definitely gives a different perspective on the same idea. It opens up a new door :)
  • Eve
    Wow. I've never thought of minimalism as a path toward self-reliance. That said, I am a major hoarder. I tend to purge my possessions once a year, when I usually move to a new place, but by that time I'm so overwhelmed by all that I've hoarded that I start to feel silly for gathering it in the first place. I'm moving overseas again in just a few weeks, and I've been wondering how the hell I'm going to bring some of the stuff with me that I now consider "essential." But, after reading this post, I'm going to attack most of my stuff today and get rid of anything that I'm holding onto "just in case." You're right: I just have to trust that I can figure it out without all of the extras.
  • We're in the same boat here, Eve :) I never really thought about it that way until ... well ... just before I wrote this post!

    Moving has a way of throwing things into sharp perspective - particularly when those things fall into the category of excess stuff. I admire your bravery in taking this opportunity to tackle your stuff. Good luck with your big move!
  • melissa_peace_and_projects
    I find minimalism more and more essential for my family. I don't want to waste my time moving clutter around or shaking out "decorative" throw rugs when I can focus on my amazing work: my blog, being a mom, a lover and of course, my day job.

    And you're right: getting rid of stuff does make me feel really confident.

    Thanks for the insight! Cheers to our own minimalism.
  • I really like the phrase "my amazing work." In fact, I really, really like it. Thanks for the inspiration, Melissa!
  • DaphneandDonald
    I'm new to your blog and to minimalism as well. I enjoyed reading about the way in which you have applied your own version to your own life, finding your own way. I have an exciting opportunity to clear out many of our belongings because they are almost all in storage at the moment, so I'm learning about how to apply these ideas to our lives. Thank you for sharing and for teaching me something new.
  • Thanks for stopping by, DaphneandDonald, and best of luck on your opportunity! It's not easy to clear out things you own, even if they're things you no longer use - but you feel so much better once it's all over with.
  • Jeffrey, this is an awesome post. You catched the essence of minimalism, what its true core should be. There is nothing bad about tools or even gadgets. You can have all of these - but if you need them to define yourself, you're in deep trouble.

    What I love about both mentioned sites as well as yours and hey ... mine too :-) - is that they switch the focus from the outside world (of tools, gadget, thinks you buy to make you feel better) to the inside. Experiencing yourself is not about adding things it's about letting go everything that you don't need.

    I tumblr this article right now!
  • Thanks, Patrick! Appreciate the tumble (is that how you put it?)
  • It is very hard to define what being a minimalist is. It open to interpretation. I quite like the whole idea of minimilism and its way of life. Anything that helps eliminate the unessesary in your life can not be a bad thing.
  • Ilham
    "Knowing that your own mind and body are your two greatest, unlimited, inexhaustible, and infinitely renewable resources."

    I have never thought of minimalism in this way, but I can tell you that after reading your post it makes a lot more sense as to what minimalism might just be about. I think for everyone, minimalism is quite different and can be unique; which is something your article here is bringing into focus. "The theory behind the action/lifestyle".

    Most bloggers talk about how to reach minimalism, but what could work for someone might utterly be useless and un-minimalist for someone else. We all need to follow our own unique self-reliance minimalist!

    Thanks for the great post, and links!
  • I'm glad the idea connected with you, because it really made an impact on me too! It's cool that people have different "brands" of minimalism - but finding the one that works for you? That's when it clicks.
  • I recently wrote an article on minimalist living as a FAMILY (not as straightforward as individual minimalism, assuming each person has his/her own idea of what's redundant/unnecessary) ... It occurred to me whilst writing it that minimalism is really just digging down to the essence of oneself -- and celebrating/LIVING that essence. Your essence may need 20 pairs of shoes, but no car; mine might require 30 boxes of books, but no cooking utensils. Minimalism is not a one-size-fits-all prescription; it's a voyage to authenticity and -- yes, as you mentioned -- the shedding of socially-accepted (even required) trappings/masks. Great website; this is my first time here.
  • "...minimalism is really just digging down to the essence of oneself -- and celebrating/LIVING that essence." Quoted for truth :)

    Would you happen to have a link to that article you wrote?
  • Dave
    Just wanted to say that I thought your point about acquiring abilities rather than tools was exceptional. Whether you intended it this way or not, it's excellent career advice in the modern world; since using a computer to do a mindless task just makes you a cog in a machine (to an employer), but having a unique and difficult to acquire skill makes you quite valuable...
  • Absolutely. I think we've actually spent the better part of the 20th century turning ourselves into cog in an assembly-line workplace, getting paid more all the while. But expensive cogs are easy to replace, which is partially why outsourcing is such a big buzzword these days.

    Thank you for pointing out the connection, Dave!
  • I think that this quote "Never, ever allowing your potential to go to waste." from your article is something I wish everyone realized. I am a minimalist and try to preach minimalism. However, the barrier I seem to hit when discussing with others is that they have to much STUFF and/or DEBT in their way of becoming minimalist. I think that is crazy. If people want something bad enough they should do everything they can to achieve that.

    I think SAYING NO ( http://theminimalistpath.com/2009/10/saying-no/) to the things you don't need or want to achieve your potential is HUGE. Not taking advantage of all the opportunities we are given is something I have done it and I know others have and still do. All that matters though is realizing from the mistakes and making progress to the goals we really want an minimalism is a great guiding path to what we really want in life.

    Dave Damron
    The Minimalist Path ( http://theminimalistpath.com/ )
  • Love this post and love your blog Jeffrey! I'm starting to add a lot more minimalism into my life and it feels very very liberating. I appreciate your wonderful post!

    Cheers,
    Dayne
  • Is it really possible to "add more minimalism"? It makes my head spin. I know what you mean. I've been subscribing to all sorts of minimalist blogs. It may be counter productive at firts, but I'm trying to educate myself on the subject before trying to live it.
  • True, saying I was "adding it" doesn't really sound right. :

    Let's just say I'm living more minimal. :-)
  • Haha, let's put it this way: you just can't seem to get enough ... of less.
  • The five bullet points you list all lead to a truer, stronger connection to your core self -- simply, the source of truly amazing things.
  • Absolutely! The source - I love that idea.
  • mtio
    Another good post Jeffrey.

    A thought I read somewhere - may have been Zen Habits or mnmlist or maybe even on this site - when going after new goals, choose action over buying things. Trying to start a business? Act instead of buying a new computer. Trying to lose weight? Run instead of buying exercise equipment. Trying to organize your house? Clear out clutter instead of buying new ways to organize.

    Just that thought has really helped me in the past couple weeks...
  • That's a great way to put it! Sometimes we buy stuff as a poor substitute for actually doing something, but having a bunch of unnecessary junk only makes things worse. I'll definitely be thinking hard about this idea this week. Thanks for sharing!
  • I'm a big fan of minimalist backpacking. That's where you can see minimalism have an immediate impact. Less stuff = less weight = easier to hike. Easier to hike = you can go farther (on the trail and in life.) Also, you never bring two of anything unless your life depends on it, then you BETTER have two. And having simple systems makes critical actions happen faster. When that bear approaches, you can either have a whistle around your neck or dig out your iphone, turn on your bear whistle app, adjust the volume, and pray that your battery is charged. Dumb example, but you get what I mean.

    There is nothing like the joy of going backpacking for several days and having nothing more than exactly what you need. It gives you more time and energy to enjoy the surroundings.
  • I have to admit that I've never truly been backpacking, but after reading your comment, I really want to try it! By the way, did you check out that post from The Art of Manliness? It starts out with a great story that sounds right up your alley :)
  • Jeffery,

    Great article. I read the two you cited before coming across this one, and I think you synthesised the ideas nicely.

    I think your idea about aquiring abilities not tools is the best of the action steps towards self reliant minimalism. Making our abilities become part of ourselves frees us from many of the things we hord and frees us to be ourselves.
  • Your language usage is definitely getting better. I love this brand of minimalism, it reminds me quite a bit of Thoreau's "Walden" One of my all time favorite books.
  • Thanks for the compliment, Justin. I really think it's more due to finding my focus and putting more of myself into each post, instead of just writing "stuff."

    I really should re-read Walden ... haven't touched it since middle school, and you know what school does to good books ...
  • I always made it a point to read books before they were assigned so
    that I could enjoy them, but yeah right now I'm reading Walden to my
    girlfriend every morning while she gets ready for work.
  • felipeph
    Jeffrey, I've just subscribed your blog after reading a post on zenhabits and i'm surprised. This is the frist post after my subscription and i can already say that i understand you. Understand, admire and feel conected. I think this post about minimalism and simplification was what i just needed to get some changes done. Thanks for the help!
  • I'm happy to hear it! Making connections is really the point of being online, isn't it? I've really been trying to put a lot of myself into each post, and it's so encouraging that it seems to be making a difference. I want to be as authentic, human, and honest as I possibly can, because that's how real relationships get built.
  • Jeffrey, I love the way you couch this concept! It is true that to work in a minimal way, in art, means to work with primary or simple shapes and forms. What better way than that to draw out the essence of our own life, our most important work of art? Simplifying goals, relying on myself to take action, rather than blaming outside influences,people or technology for inaction, is a daily habit. Transforming mistakes into opportunities is a conscious process of resetting my perception when confronted with something i don't quite expect. Thank you for a great post!
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