THE SOLUTION TO A SIMPLE, MEANINGFUL, WELL-DESIGNED LIFE /
THE F Ê T E / LIF E PROJECT NO.
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A MINIMALIST’S THOUGHTS ON MONEY Welcome to the Fête/Life Project – a collection of helpful, useful and practical articles that can be applied to life at any time, but especially now. Sourced from the many magazines we have released, our message has never been more relevant or needed by our community today… let’s embrace the simple life and treasure what is truly important – human connection, community, self care and pure acts of kindness. SUPPORT WHEN YOU NEED IT MOST /
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STORY / JOSHUA FIELDS MILLBURN
A MINIMALIST'S THOUGHTS ON MONEY I don’t think about money the way I used to. I used to think money was more important than just about everything else in life. So I sacrificed to make money and then I sacrificed more to make more and then I sacrificed even more to make even more, working too many hours, forsaking my health, forsaking the people closest to me, forsaking everything important in pursuit of the almighty dollar. The more things I forsook, the more
Minimalism has allowed me to get rid
important the money became. Something
of life’s excess so I can focus on what’s
the so-called ‘dream' will make us happy.
was missing.
essential. And now, at 31, I make less
This is not true, of course.
I made good money – great money – during my days in the corporate arena, but the problem was I spent even better
money than my ignorant 19-yearold self, and yet I’m not in debt, I’m not struggling and most important, I’m happy.
money. And that was a serious source of
Now, before I spend money, I ask myself
dissatisfaction in my life, one that would
one question…
haunt me for most of my twenties.
The cars, the houses, the stuff – living
The opposite, however, is also not true. A life of poverty – a life of perpetual deprivation – isn’t joyous either. You see, there’s nothing inherently wrong with money, just as there’s nothing
IS THIS WORTH MY FREEDOM?
innately wrong with material possessions
When I was 19, I worked six or seven days
IS THIS COFFEE WORTH $2
or working a nine to five. We all need some
a week and I earned more than $50,000
OF MY FREEDOM?
stuff and we all have to pay the bills.
a year – which for a degree-less poor kid
IS THIS SHIRT WORTH $30
It’s when we put money and possessions
from Dayton, Ohio, that’s a lot of money – more money than my mother ever earned. The problem was that when I was earning 50 grand, I was spending 65 and then when I was earning 65, I was spending 80. Eventually, I’d worked my way up the corporate ladder, working 362 days a year
OF MY FREEDOM? IS THIS CAR WORTH $20,000 OF MY FREEDOM?
first and we lose sight of our real priorities. When we lose sight of life’s purpose.
In other words, am I going to get more
Maybe getting some of the excess stuff value from the thing I’m about to purchase, out of the way – clearing the clutter from or am I going to get more value from my our lives – can help us all save money and freedom?
make room for the most important things in life… health, relationships, growth,
(literally) and I was earning a six-figure
Don’t you think it’s a question worth
salary. That sounds great, but I was still
asking yourself?
contribution, community.
These days, I know every dollar I spend
Money helps accentuate these areas,
spending more than I was bringing home and that equation never balances.
adds immense value to my life. There is
So instead of bringing home a great
a roof over my head at night, the books
salary, I brought home debt, anxiety and
or the music I purchase bring me joy,
overwhelming amounts of discontent.
the few clothes I own keep me warm,
My love and hatred of money (love of spending it, hatred of never having enough) was, in fact, my largest source of discontent. Call me stupid. Go ahead, you should. I was stupid. I wasn’t stupid just because I was wasting my income, though – I was far more stupid because of the value I gave to
the experiences I share with others at and theirs and a cup of tea with my best friend becomes far more significant than a trip to the mall ever could. I no longer waste my money and thus it’s far less important to pursue it endlessly. MONEY AND POVERTY DON'T BUY HAPPINESS
was a dollar sign on my head, I could be
People have strange conceptions about
bought. I told others they could take my
money. When we don't have it, we believe
time and my freedom in exchange for
money will make us happier. When we
green pieces of paper.
do have money, however, we tend to
importance to money. I need money to pay rent, to put food on the table, to put petrol in the car, to pay for health insurance – but I needn’t struggle to earn money to buy
line with your beliefs.
a movie or a concert add value to my life
money. I told myself I was a number, there
That changed when I stopped giving such
but the size of your wallet is much less important once your priorities are in
want more. The odd thing is, we all know – at least intellectually – money won’t buy happiness. Unfortunately, we’ve been steeped in a culture so heavily mediated we’ve started believing the lies.
The Minimalists are bestselling authors and international speakers, Ryan Nicodemus and Joshua Fields Millburn, who have been featured on the Today show, Time magazine, New York Times, Wall Street Journal and L.A. Weekly. They have written three books, including the bestselling memoir, Everything That Remains. Their #1 indie film, Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things, is available to purchase through iTunes and Google Play. THEMINIMALISTS.COM
crap I don’t need. ISSUE NO. 30 / FETEPRESS.COM.AU
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