One Small Shift That Unlocks Greater Clarity (and Minimalism Success)

Read time: 3 mintues

In today’s issue, I want to discuss an important shift for those seeking clarity.

This shift involves moving from a rigid to a flexible perspective.

A rigid perspective believes success is achieved through a linear path with a firm approach. In contrast, a flexible perspective allows for adjustments to one’s journey, making it more personal and efficient.

This is important because it can help you break free from the cycle of frustration and evolve into a more confident, enjoyable experience, which is crucial for building a life where you have creative control.

Let’s dive deeper into what this means.

The Common Misstep

Most people who want to declutter or rethink their approach to work start by setting a goal that aligns with their vision.

While this approach is exciting and motivating, it can also lead to discouragement when faced with obstacles.

If you have a rigid perspective, you may find yourself struggling with every step and overthinking every action. This can make even small obstacles seem insurmountable.

Before you know it, you may feel like your goal is too big and become tempted to give up.

You may even start telling yourself to be more "realistic" or accept things as they are, even if cluttered and uninspiring.

A Better Approach: Being Flexible

Here’s how I recommend moving from a rigid to a flexible perspective:

1. Identify Your Values: Focus on the things that are important to you.
2. Follow Your Own Template: Don’t force yourself to fit within someone else’s success path.
3. Eliminate: Clearly define what isn’t helpful.
4. Retrospectives: Regularly reflect on your experience and make adjustments.
   
   

Example: Applying This to Your Journey

For example, let’s look at how you can apply the four steps from above to your journey.

Identify Your Values:

By identifying your values, you create a decision-making tool to help you filter out the non-essential items for this season of your life. Your values may change as you grow, and so will the things you deem necessary to keep in your environment.

Similarly, this is true when pursuing a more meaningful career. Consider how your work supports or prevents you from prioritizing your values.

Follow Your Own Template:

The rules don’t state that you have to start decluttering your items in a particular order or aspire to design your home to match ___’s house you see online. Doing so can severely taint your experience and create a rigid perspective around how to move forward.

Avoid this toxic trap and opt to create your own template instead. (Your values play a critical role in shaping your success path.)

The same is true again when pursuing a more meaningful career. You often hear motivational advice saying, “Take the leap before you’re ready.”

I can’t entirely agree with this, and here’s why.

Before officially quitting my job in October 2023, I attempted to take the leap 2 1/2 years prior in February 2021.

I was on the phone with my manager, giving him my unofficial notice of resignation, with tears silently running down my face.

I share that to say this:

When you’re standing on a cliff, peeking over the edge to get a sense of how far down success is.

Notice your heartbeat.

Jump only when your faith outweighs your fear of falling.

Eliminate:

It’s critical to clearly define the habits and beliefs that aren’t helping you to move forward. Acknowledgment welcomes the opportunity for change.

Retrospectives:

As you take steps toward your goal, build a simple system for reviewing your wins, challenges, and lessons learned and noting the adjustments you plan to make going forward.

This could be as simple as journaling (daily, weekly, or monthly) or having open conversations with like-minded people on a similar journey.

Takeaway:

If you’re trying to declutter your life or step into a more meaningful career, start by shifting your perspective around what a successful process may look like by following the steps above.

Once you’ve done that, you can start taking significant steps toward your desired outcome.

If you ever feel stuck or happen to hit another obstacle, don’t change your goal. Change your approach.

Be stubborn with the vision. Be flexible with the plan.

That’s all for today!

I’ll see you next week.

Whenever you’re ready, here’s how I can help you:

⇨ The Decluttering Starter Kit: Skip the overwhelm and jumpstart your decluttering journey. This comprehensive course will teach and guide you through my multi-step action plan for decluttering with less overwhelm and more progress each week. Get access here.