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The Minimalists
The Minimalists are Emmy-nominated Netflix stars and New York Times–bestselling authors Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus. Alongside their podcast cohost, T.K. Coleman, this simple-living trio helps millions of people eliminate clutter and live meaningfully with less. Learn More.

Growth Through Minimalism

If you’re not growing, you’re dying. This might sound like a platitude, but it’s the truth.

Visualize a plant.
More specifically—a fruit.
A fruit you enjoy.
Let’s say it’s an apple.
When an apple is on the tree, it’s 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.
Ostensibly, it is “ripe.”
Which makes you think it’s in its ideal state.
But this isn’t true.
It has stopped growing.
It is dying.

As a person, you are no different.

Things might look great on your surface.
They did for us: nice cars, houses, salaries.
But we were dying on the inside.
Rotting when we appeared ripe.
Unhappy.
Unfulfilled.
Unsatisfied with life.
A life without meaning.

What does this have to do with minimalism?

Nothing.
And yet, in a broader sense—everything.

Why did we get rid of our excess stuff?
To reclaim our time.
To regain control of our finances.
To live more meaningful lives.
To contribute to others.

And—to grow.

Like the apple,
if we are not growing,
we are dying.

Not just in the physical sense.
Mentally.
Emotionally.
Financially.
Spiritually.
We are dying.

We removed the excess things,
because they are not important.
The excess gets in the way,
keeps us from growing.
And if you want to feel alive,
you must grow.

But growth isn’t always easy.
Sometimes the most growth comes from
the most difficult tasks.

What have you wanted to do for the longest time, but haven’t been able to accomplish because you haven’t had the time or resources?

Eat more healthfully?
Quit smoking?
Run a marathon?
Write a novel?
Quit your soul-crushing job?
Travel around the world?
Start a blog?

You can.
You have permission to do something fulfilling with your life.

“Growth” is an excerpt from Day 9 of Our 21-Day Journey.