Minimalism

Live a Meaningful Life, Second Edition

By: Ryan Nicodemus, Joshua Fields Millburn

Narrated by: Justin Malik

Length: 2 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

Minimalism is the thing that gets us past the things that clutter our lives so we can make room for life's most important things - which actually aren't things at all.

At age 30, best friends Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus walked away from their six-figure corporate careers, jettisoned most of their material possessions, and started focusing on what's truly important. In their debut book, Joshua and Ryan, authors of the popular website TheMinimalists.com, explore their troubled pasts and descent into depression. Though they had achieved the American Dream, they worked ridiculous hours, wastefully spent money, and lived paycheck to paycheck. Instead of discovering their passions, they pacified themselves with ephemeral indulgences, which only led to more debt, depression, and discontent.

After a pair of life-changing events, Joshua and Ryan discovered minimalism, allowing them to eliminate their excess material things so they could focus on life's most important things: health, relationships, passion, growth, and contribution.

©2015 Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus (P)2016 Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus

Not what I was looking for

Should be titled: 5 values to live a meaningful life. I got this book thinking it would be about the philosophy and practical implementation of living with fewer things, what to get rid of, what to keep etc, there was none of this, instead it read like a life coaching book.

Minimalism?

Let’s see, we get some subjective advice about nutrition, water consumption, relationships, etc. Whatever seems to randomly interest them. Don’t wait around for the topic of minimalism though, maybe they’ve moved on to life coaching & forgot to tell us.

Tight version of stuff you can learn on podcast

As with their other books, you probably don’t need it as the podcast covers the same material. But this is a tightly organized version of their message. I think it has a lot of value that other minimalism books miss because it focuses on the why. Why do you want to live a minimalist life? Just getting rid of your stuff doesn’t help because you'll just replace it, as happened to me after reading the Tidying Up books. This shows you the value of living a more deliberate life and the things you can improve (health, relationships. passions, growth, contributions to the world) with the extra time and money you'll have. Nothing stellar, just nuts and bolts. It was useful to me. Grade: A-

Excellent narration. I’m used to their voices from the podcast but Justin Malik is so good that I hear their voices in him now.

Good Book. Narrators voice not so good

Narrators voice took a while to get use to and sometimes was difficult to focus on

A lot of plugs

It’s hard to escape the fact that the whole thing feels like an advertisement for their website...

Exellent Book. Highly Recommend.

Didnt kmow what to expect when i bought the book. thought it was simply a time management book. It is that on steroids. Gave me a lot to think about to add balance to my life.

Great Book!

I enjoyed the message and the overall authenticity of the authors and their willingness to pay their experience forward. This book is a great opportunity to contemplate what is important in life and re-evaluate priorities. I would highly recommend it.

Worthless pop regurgitation

The book says virtually nothing about minimalism. Instead, the authors present a litany of half baked pop ideas about how to live a happy life. What a complete waste of time!

Enter the vegan high horse in Chapter 4

The authors say in the beginning that this is a book for everyone but it is obvious that it was really written because the authors have not told enough people that they are perfect, don't eat sugar, love green smoothies, don't drink soda, eat no processed foods, don't drink cow's milk, and exercise regularly. In chapter 4 on health, they spend the entire chapter giving advice they aren't qualified to give, being preachy and promoting restrictive diets that don't work for the majority of people, and spending time talking about what works for them but not what might work for others. All while saying "you don't have to be vegan to live a healthy life" before getting preachy about veganism. (Shocker: this book is not for everyone.)

I am a medical student so I am happy they are encouraging people to be healthy. I value my health and I try my best to be healthy most of the time. I appreciate that, like me, most people are just trying their best to be healthy and sometimes its hard! I find the people who try to cut out sugar, carbs, all beverages except water are not successful. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is all about learning to treat yourself in moderation & to view unhealthy foods as just that: "a treat." The authors instead say that eating any pasta will lead you to then incorporate pasta back into your diet and overindulge but not if you never cut pasta out to begin with.

Listen, I love french fries like I love my mom. If I told myself I had to never have fries again, I would eat all the fries in Philadelphia in my last sitting and then suffer before I inevitably binge on every type of potato-derived food at 3am. (sorry, I am human.) Instead, I have a small serving of fries once per week. Other people have their vices & can be healthy while still having an occasional treat of their beloved food of choice. So, if you're a self-absorbed marathon runner, vegan, yogi who just "loves the gym" while the rest of us see it as a necessary evil, then read on. You will love this book. As for me, I obviously didn't like it & turned it off in chapter 4.

Not what I was expecting

I thought this book would go through each and every room you have to help declutter and minimize. It does not do this at all. Talks about healthy / friendships / relationships. Not at all what I was looking for.

Insubstantial

I found this book a little, well, empty.

I love the idea of living a meaningful life and extracting oneself from the pressures of an intensely capitalist existence.

The book is really about the transformation of two American men with '6 figure salaries' who just got tired of it all and decided to concentrate on healthier things. That's it.

Whilst the message is mostly positive, It didn't really speak to me. There was a long passage about pull ups, which I really didn't enjoy. They are certainly on to something, but the book seemed a bit muddled and flimsy.

Questionable Advice

Love the idea of the book, but the guys lost me when they mentioned a vegan or paleo diet should be followed and that listeners should stop taking prescribed medications....seriously? You’re not at all qualified to make such advice so don’t. It’s dangerous and irresponsible as an author to do so.

Their points on eating well and looking after your body are valid and outlining that some medications may be unnecessary if the issues are resolved at the root cause. But flatly saying that people should stop taking their medications and take up a paleo first is dangerous and stupid.

Completely lost me after that.

Otherwise a good book that makes some great points.

Lifechanging

really great book. full of great ideas and personal challenges. a must read for anyone who wants to change their life around.

Not about minimalism

Strangely, this book has nothing to do with minimalism. This book is about how to live a better life in the opinion of a couple of 30 year olds. If you looking to reduce clutter and find out more about minimalism, this book isn't for you.

Useful

Good, practical content. Helpful if you are starting out towards an uncluttered lifestyle. Ryan and Joshua clearly lay out what has worked for them.

Disappointing

I was expecting a lot more after watching the Minimalism documentary. I felt everything was skimmed over, and I am left disappointed.

I love the 5 values but…

I think religion/faith/spirituality is also important and add meaning to life. Great book :)

I fell asleep numerous times

the narrator is awful, the subject matter is trivial. i listen to the guys podcast for free which made me buy this audiobook. do I regret it? yes. I don't need an entire chapter on what and how to eat? that's just ridiculous. also the constant reminder that both of the guys have been wealthy by the age of 24.... the book feels hollow. no need to spend money on this. i don't know what else to say....

Key to true happines

This book will help you identify the key to true happiness which you can slowly progress to by taking steps described in the book.

it's a good listen and definitely worth to listen more than once. I have already watched documentary by the same guys about minimalism, so I kind of new what to expect.

it will be eye-opening for people who never stepped into the life of minimalistic thinking at least. I wish whole world would live like this.

The book is narrated With swift approach, but good.

amazing and life changing book.

it's great to hear Joshua's and Ryan's story of leaving the 6 figure jobs to pursue their passion. something I am at cross roads of doing myself and hoping that every day work, following these steps will help me achieve it. could not recommend it enough.