Being a minimalist is not my greatest goal in life. It is not my greatest obsession. I dream much bigger dreams for my life.
I am passionate about my soul, my wife, my kids, my friends, solving problems, and influencing others for good. I want to live a significant life that makes the most of the potential and opportunities I have been given.
I will focus on these priorities above everything else. They are the most important to me and the most important for the world around me.
In short: I am a husband, a father, and a human bring first. I am a minimalist second.
This is not to discount the lifestyle I have chosen and have dedicated the last ten years of my life to promoting.
Minimalism is a means to that very end.
Minimalism removes physical distractions so my greatest priorities can be elevated. It allows my life to be defined by eternal pursuits, those dreams that will long outlast me, not by the physical possessions in my home.
Minimalism is a means to an end, but it is not the end itself.
Minimalism simplifies life. It focuses our energies on things that matter. But obsessing about minimalism begins to complicate it again. And I refuse to allow possessions to define my life—not the collection of them or the removal of them. My desire is that my possessions will never be a burden to me, whether in abundance or lack.
At the end of my life, I want to hear my children say, “You were a good father,” not “you were good at being a minimalist.” I want people to remember me as a friend and servant and someone who stayed focused on the needs of others, not as “a minimalist.”
Therefore, I choose minimalism. But it will never become an obsession. It will define my lifestyle, but not my life.
I invite you: Dream big dreams with your life. Dream bigger dreams than minimalism. Pursue greater achievements with your newfound time, energy, and money.
Minimalism is not the finish line. It is only a manner of arriving there.
