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rebecky85's review against another edition
5.0
In support of this book’s minimalist message. Here is a minimal review.
Read it. It changes you for the better.
Read it. It changes you for the better.
ereidsma's review against another edition
3.0
I don't agree with everything they do, but it gets you to think about life
jpcapili's review
2.0
Synopsis: collection of essays about living a more meaningful life with less stuff.
Good: great introduction to minimalism
Bad: repetitive
I have been practicing minimalism for several months now. Minimalism, as defined by this book, is a process of stripping away the unnecessary things in your life so you can focus on what’s important. This book, which complements that idea, isn’t as motivating as I hope it would be. However, the book is still effective in explaining the fundamentals of minimalism.
Good: great introduction to minimalism
Bad: repetitive
I have been practicing minimalism for several months now. Minimalism, as defined by this book, is a process of stripping away the unnecessary things in your life so you can focus on what’s important. This book, which complements that idea, isn’t as motivating as I hope it would be. However, the book is still effective in explaining the fundamentals of minimalism.
eveak's review against another edition
1.0
Not a great audio book. Essays blend together and don’t engage the listener.
wlchastain's review against another edition
1.0
I was going to give this 2 stars because I think the message is solid even if the stories meant to convey the message lack both substance and relatability, but then they just spent a not insignificant amount of the last section just reading Fight Club quotes.
debyik's review
4.0
Engaging and thought-provoking. Whether you are a minimalist or not, I feel that there is something you can get out of this book filled with short essays. A great way to start or end your day with good journaling prompts in each essay. Easy to read and well thought out.
m560's review against another edition
3.0
Listened to the audiobook on Youtube. Enjoyed it, but as it suggests is very minimal. I didn't hear much new information, but it was still worthwhile for a short listen.
victoriakleinco's review against another edition
4.0
How did you lose all that weight? VS Why did you lose all that weight?
How did you create a successful business? VS Why did you create a successful business?
How did you get rid of most of your stuff? VS Why did you get rid of most of your stuff?
We're doers, we're executors - all we want to know is HOW.
I geek out on tutorials and powerful stories as much as the next person, but NO ONE would have been able to accomplish anything interesting (the HOW) without having a specific motivation behind it (the WHY).
When things get tough, and you're not sure if you can keep going, it's your WHY that keeps you going - the reason you started along the path you chose in the first place + what you hope to gain/accomplish by continuing on that path.
Essential: Essays by the Minimalists is all about the Why, not the How, of living a minimalist-based lifestyle.
If you're interested in the How behind transitioning to a minimalist lifestyle (like I did), Minimalism: Life a Meaningful Life is the better book. I read that book before reading Essential: Essays, and I believe they compliment each other well.
Before we go any further, I would like to be clear that living a minimalist lifestyle does NOT mean you have to sell everything but 30 items, live out of a suitcase, and travel the world - unless that's what would make your life feel more meaningful.
I live in a one-bedroom apartment, own a car, and (gasp) occasionally buy new things. Unlike my younger self, I buy things very intentionally now. Everything I buy has a clear purpose and if I don't really need it for anything or would find no long-term enjoyment out of it, I probably won't buy it.
While this particular book is a compilation of short essays, I enjoyed it quite a lot. I find their writing style to be pithy and to-the-point, but not lacking in emotion or fun. Again, if you're looking for a book about HOW to live a minimalist lifestyle, this will give you a few insights, but it's mostly focused on the WHY of living a minimalist lifestyle.
"Awareness isn't always pleasant, but becoming aware is important and necessary: the benefits, especially the long-term benefits, can be experienced only once we've seen our flaws for what they are - past weaknesses. Only then can we work toward strengthening ourselves. Only then can we move toward the best version of ourselves.
True awareness allows us to improve, to grow - to become better, but not perfect. Our lives will never be perfect: we've all been cut deeply. That's okay. Awareness helps us heal, and our scars make up the best parts of us."
Personally, I connect very deeply to their many Whys of minimalism because they're many of the same reasons I made the same choice/mindset shift: less time cleaning, less time shopping, less debt, less stress, more freedom, more ease, more fun, more space + time to explore what peaks my curiosity ... the list goes on for a while.
One of my favorite concepts from the book is, "Is this worth my freedom?"
"Is this coffee worth $2 of my freedom?
Is this shirt worth $30 of my freedom?
Is this car worth $20,000 of my freedom?
In other words, am I going to get more value from the thing I'm about to purchase, or am I going to get more value from my freedom?"
This is a great example of the Why behind minimalism for many, including myself.
If I spent $4,000 on an online course, is it worth my freedom?
Is it worth me needing to make that $4,000 back to have money to pay my business expenses, or buy groceries?
Is it worth the time I'm going to have to spend consuming the materials? Will I get $4,000 worth of value - directly or indirectly?
This is my new favorite way of thinking about purchases :)
For the goals we seek to accomplish during our lifetime, there are many ways to get there - many Hows, but none of that will matter if you have no reason to celebrate why you accomplish those goals, no Why.
How did you create a successful business? VS Why did you create a successful business?
How did you get rid of most of your stuff? VS Why did you get rid of most of your stuff?
We're doers, we're executors - all we want to know is HOW.
I geek out on tutorials and powerful stories as much as the next person, but NO ONE would have been able to accomplish anything interesting (the HOW) without having a specific motivation behind it (the WHY).
When things get tough, and you're not sure if you can keep going, it's your WHY that keeps you going - the reason you started along the path you chose in the first place + what you hope to gain/accomplish by continuing on that path.
Essential: Essays by the Minimalists is all about the Why, not the How, of living a minimalist-based lifestyle.
If you're interested in the How behind transitioning to a minimalist lifestyle (like I did), Minimalism: Life a Meaningful Life is the better book. I read that book before reading Essential: Essays, and I believe they compliment each other well.
Before we go any further, I would like to be clear that living a minimalist lifestyle does NOT mean you have to sell everything but 30 items, live out of a suitcase, and travel the world - unless that's what would make your life feel more meaningful.
I live in a one-bedroom apartment, own a car, and (gasp) occasionally buy new things. Unlike my younger self, I buy things very intentionally now. Everything I buy has a clear purpose and if I don't really need it for anything or would find no long-term enjoyment out of it, I probably won't buy it.
While this particular book is a compilation of short essays, I enjoyed it quite a lot. I find their writing style to be pithy and to-the-point, but not lacking in emotion or fun. Again, if you're looking for a book about HOW to live a minimalist lifestyle, this will give you a few insights, but it's mostly focused on the WHY of living a minimalist lifestyle.
"Awareness isn't always pleasant, but becoming aware is important and necessary: the benefits, especially the long-term benefits, can be experienced only once we've seen our flaws for what they are - past weaknesses. Only then can we work toward strengthening ourselves. Only then can we move toward the best version of ourselves.
True awareness allows us to improve, to grow - to become better, but not perfect. Our lives will never be perfect: we've all been cut deeply. That's okay. Awareness helps us heal, and our scars make up the best parts of us."
Personally, I connect very deeply to their many Whys of minimalism because they're many of the same reasons I made the same choice/mindset shift: less time cleaning, less time shopping, less debt, less stress, more freedom, more ease, more fun, more space + time to explore what peaks my curiosity ... the list goes on for a while.
One of my favorite concepts from the book is, "Is this worth my freedom?"
"Is this coffee worth $2 of my freedom?
Is this shirt worth $30 of my freedom?
Is this car worth $20,000 of my freedom?
In other words, am I going to get more value from the thing I'm about to purchase, or am I going to get more value from my freedom?"
This is a great example of the Why behind minimalism for many, including myself.
If I spent $4,000 on an online course, is it worth my freedom?
Is it worth me needing to make that $4,000 back to have money to pay my business expenses, or buy groceries?
Is it worth the time I'm going to have to spend consuming the materials? Will I get $4,000 worth of value - directly or indirectly?
This is my new favorite way of thinking about purchases :)
For the goals we seek to accomplish during our lifetime, there are many ways to get there - many Hows, but none of that will matter if you have no reason to celebrate why you accomplish those goals, no Why.
simplymary's review against another edition
2.0
I just do not like their communication style. I don't know why...I applaud the way they've drawn a crowd to minimalism, but I am unmoved by their writing and documentary. Oh well.