Less is Better

I read this recently on the internet:

According to Greek philosopher Epicurus, the troubles entailed by maintaining an extravagant lifestyle tend to outweigh the pleasure of enjoying that lifestyle. He recommended that what was necessary for life and happiness be maintained at minimal cost, believing that anything beyond what is necessary should either be tempered by moderation or completely avoided.

Most people do not realize this simple truth. Over time, we have been brainwashed to think that "More is Better". It is this mindset that leads to a nation of resource guzzlers. We also harbor the misconception that a minimalist leads a deprived live, that he has to sacrifice many pleasures in life, etc. The truth is that a minimalist aims for the optimum point. A minimalist knows that too little can be inefficient and too much can be detrimental. A minimalist is thus a maximizer. Because he is fully aware of the disadvantages of too little and too much, he lives in moderation.

Being efficient and hence utilizing fewer resources not only hastens one's financial independence; it is also good for one's own health and the planet. Here are some facts to mull over:

1. You reach financial independence when your passive income is greater than your expenses. Most people focus only on increasing their income while not paying attention to their expenses. As one's income rises, expenses do not have to rise in tandem. Consider what Henry David Thoreau said: "With respect to luxuries and comforts, the wisest have even lived a more simple and meager life than the poor."

2. Studies find that a millionaire is no more likely to be happy than someone earning one-twentieth as much. Once you reach the median level of income, roughly $50,000 a year, there is no longer any correlation between higher income and happiness.

3. Anhedonia refers to the reduced ability to experience pleasure. In the book Thrilled to Death, Dr. Hart laments the fact that our continuous pursuit of high stimulation is snuffing out our ability to experience genuine pleasure in simple things.

4. In the book The Longevity Diet, the author shows that calorie restriction is the only proven way to slow the aging process and maintain peak vitality.

5. If everyone in the world consumed like the average American, we'd need about six Earths to sustain ourselves.