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.

If, Then

By The Minimalists

People concoct a myriad of excuses to explain their bad decisions:

If I had more money, I could be happy.
If I had better genes, I could lose weight.
If I had more time, I could exercise more.
If I liked vegetables, I could eat healthier.
If I had gone to college, I could be successful.

If this, then that. It’s the if statement that fails: such utterances are debilitating, self-fulfilling prophecies. They hold you back. The best thing to do is remove the if clause from your declarations, revealing your true potential:

I could be happy.
I could lose weight.
I could exercise more.
I could eat healthier.
I could be successful.

Because if you wanted to, you could live a meaningful life.