I Was Not a Minimalist, Until I Was

I Was Not a Minimalist, Until I Was I am not an expertâ€"I just play one on the Internet. Or rather, I wasnt an expert on anything, until I was. You see, at 18 I didnt know how to be a leader. But then I took an entry-level sales job, spent a decade working my way up the corporate ladder, and eventually led a group of 100 people in sixteen locations. Over time, I slowly became an expert at inspiring and leading people. At 22 I didnt know how to run a successful business. But then, with no formal education, I learned. In the course of time, I opened fourteen profitable retail stores for a large corporation, managed a $52 million operating budget, and eventually oversaw the operations for 150 retail stores (which I realize now, as a minimalist, is a bit ironic in retrospect). Over time, I slowly became an expert on business. At 25 I didnt know how to get in shape or lose the excess weight that plagued me. But then I changed my diet, began a simple exercise routine, and lost 80 pounds. And now people regularly rely on me for diet and exercise advice. Over time, I slowly became an expert on health. At 27 I didnt know how to live a meaningful life. But then I confronted my discontent, spent two years paying off immense personal debt, and started looking for happiness in lifes more important areas: health, relationships, growth, and contributionâ€"not material possessions. Over time, I slowly became an expert on intentional living. At 28 I didnt know how to be a minimalist. My three-bedroom home was filled with trinkets to prove it. But then I started questioning my stuff, removing one by one the unnecessary things from my life, eventually jettisoning 90% of my material possessions, replacing them with worthwhile experiences. Over time, I slowly became an expert on minimalism. At 29 I didnt know what a blog was. (Seriously!) But then I needed an outlet to share my experiences with other people. So I asked my best friend, Ryan, if hed be willing to build a website and share his experiencesâ€"and my experiencesâ€"with the world. He said yes, so we created The Minimalists, started publishing essays (which we later realized were called blog posts ), and grew our readership to millions of people in 190 countries. Over time, we slowly became experts on blogging. Approaching age 30 I didnt think it was possible to leave my corporate job to pursue my dream of writing fiction. But then I discovered it was. I had already simplified my life, paid off my debt, changed my spending habits, and radically reduced my cost of living. So I sold my house, paid off my car, eliminated nearly all my bills, and moved into a tiny $500-per-month minimalist apartment. And then I quit. Now people frequently ask me how they, too, can stop living the lie and start living their dream. Over time, I slowly became an expert on leaving the corporate world in the pursuit of dreams. At 30 I wasnt a published author. I had a stack of rejection letters from agents and publishers to prove it. But now, I have published four bestselling books on my own and cofounded my a publishing company, Asymmetrical Press, where we help writers and other creative types circumvent the old guard. Over time, I slowly became an expert in the publishing world. Last year I didnt think I could be a teacher since I dont have a college degree. But then I learned I could use my training experience from the corporate world, combined with my love and passion and obsession with writing, to add value to peoples lives. Thus, I started an online writing class. When the class quickly filled up, I was shocked; so I offered an upgraded online version for everyone. Most important, my studentsâ€"ranging from teenagers to Ph.D.sâ€"have found tremendous value, have grown as writers, and have given me the opportunity to contribute to their successes. Over time, I slowly became an expert on writing and teaching. I didnt tell you any of this to brag or boast or inform you of how great I am. I am far from great. There wont be a life-size bronze statue of Joshua Fields Millburn occupying the streets of Dayton, Ohio, anytime soon. I am flawed and tattered and perfectly imperfectâ€"just like you. I wasnt able to do any of the above because I was smarter or better or funnier or more toothsome than the next guy. Instead, there were two commonalities among all these paths to expertise: time and action. None of it happened overnight; it took time. And it wasnt easy; it took consistent actionâ€"incremental actions that morphed into habits over time. Now, when I look in lifes rearview mirror, everything is different. Over time, I slowly became an expert. And so can you. If you find value in The Minimalists, consider donating a dollar.