Tracker Pixel for Entry

A conversation with renowned minimalist Joshua Millburn

Culture | June 18th, 2015

“As a minimalist, everything I own serves a purpose or brings me joy. Everything else is out of the way,” Joshua Fields Millburn said to HPR in an interview at Twenty Below Coffee.

Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, The Minimalists, were in Fargo for the Misfit Con this past May. During the conference, The Minimalists showed a private test screening of their first film, “Minimalism: A Documentary About The Important Things.” It’s set to release publicly in 2016.

The two are renowned writers and public speakers who have an audience of about 4 million readers. It’s their less-is-more messagethat has resonated worldwide – and it’s all happened within the past five years.

What’s minimalism? Is it just about getting rid of stuff?

“Well, that’s the first step. But I think anyone can go home right now and rent a dumpster and throw all their shit in it and be totally miserable,” he said.

“Consumption isn’t the problem. We all need some stuff,” Millburn said. “Compulsory consumption is the problem – thinking that we have to buy something because we think it’s going to make us happy or cool or fit in or satiated, even.”

Minimalism is about living life more deliberately, he said. It’s not necessarily about focusing on less. It’s about making room for more, whether that might be time, growth, contribution, experience or conversation.

Certainly a t-shirt, television or pair of shoes can add value to a person’s life or serve a purpose. But what about that 45th t-shirt, that eight pair of sneakers or that third television? Is it possible that when we have so many possessions it waters down our ability to appreciate or take care of the more important possessions we have? Is it possible that if we spend so much time taking care of our possessions we take away from opportunities for personal growth and relationship building? The Minimalists say yes, definitely.

Joshua, Diane and Ryan at Misfit Con in FargoMillburn suggests people start by asking themselves: “Does this thing add value to my life?” or “How might my life be better if I owned less stuff?”

Ironically, before becoming a full-time minimalist writer and public speaker, Millburn managed 150 retail stores. He said he had a big house, luxury cars and all the material possessions every “successful” person his age “should” own. Yet he was very unhappy. He was working 70 to 80 hours a week just to keep up with the lifestyle.

“It was very selfish because it was about me and what can I amass as opposed to what can I contribute,” Millburn said.

After his marriage ended and his mother died, all within the same month, Millburn said he rethought everything. It took having to deal with his mom’s three-bedroom-apartment-load of stuff that helped him realize he didn’t need to hold on to these things to honor the memory of her.

“I learned that other people can get value from the things that I wasn’t getting value from,” Millburn said. “And I also learned by bringing back a few sentimental items, I get so much more value from those few sentimental items than watering them down with dozens or even hundreds of sentimental items.”

Of course, every person values different things and every person has a different story. Millburn said his minimalist lifestyle may be a bit extreme for some people. According to The Minimalists’ website, he owns less than 300 items. That includes everything from his dining room table to his toothbrush.

“We are not prescriptive,” Millburn said. “We don’t say, ‘Here’s the way you should live your life … Here’s the 100 things you should own to be happy.’”

One of the greater purposes of the documentary will be to give people an even broader perspective of minimalism. The film contains interviews with different types of minimalists, including an architect, news anchor, traveler, entrepreneur, fashion designer and neuroscientist.

“We want to get all these different flavors of minimalism … because up until now it’s sort of like, ‘Well, hi. This is Ryan, I’m Josh. This is the Josh and Ryan show.’”

Yet, The Minimalists do what they do knowing full well that any human being could benefit from learning and applying some of the principles of minimalism. Like this one: “Love people, use things. Because the opposite never works.”

YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Learn more about The Minimalists: theminimalists.com

Learn more about the documentary: http://minimalismfilm.com/

Recently in:

By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comNorth Dakotans will take part in a nationwide civil rights rally on Thursday, July 17. Protests, marches, rallies and acts of service are scheduled in Bismarck, Bottineau, Devils Lake,…

Back-to-school season is on the horizon, but there's still plenty of summer left. Check out our favorite August attractions and events in North Dakota and western Minnesota. And if if you missed them, here are a few excellent May…

July 18-19, 25-26 and August 2-3North Dakota Horse Park, 5180 19th Ave. N., FargoLadies and gentlemen, prepare to place your bets — racing season is upon us! Not just horses will be racing this year; word on the street suggests…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com On July fourth, Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest took place at Coney Island. The winners, Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo, reigned victorious. Chestnut earned his 17th title by…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comWhy doesn’t the world require politicians to leave office at 60?Most of the leaders of countries, whether gods, fascists, democrats or socialists, are not doing very well these days. David Van…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…

By Rick Gion and Simone Wairickgion@gmail.com The Red River Market returned to downtown Fargo on Saturday, July 12. The event will take place every Saturday except July 19. (That date will be moved to Sunday, July 20, due to the…

By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comThe Moorhead Public Library will offer three free, all-ages outdoor concerts featuring regional bands this summer. The series begins on June 12 with the Meat Rabbits, a group that blends…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comPhoto by Sabrina Hornung Wing, North Dakota is a town of 132 located about an hour northwest of Bismarck on Highway 36. There’s a shiny new Cenex on the intersection of the highway and the high…

By Deb Wallworkdwallwork@icloud.comI first met Catherine Mulligan at a party at her house. It was a small gathering, spontaneous, just a few people over for dinner. Directed toward a stack of plates and bowls and a big pot warming…

By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.comPhoto by Yvonne Denault There is something intimate and personal about plays. Even in our age of multimillion dollar Hollywood productions and droves of streaming services, watching actors…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

The drug that keeps re-purposing itselfBy Ellie Liveranieli.liverani.ra@gmail.com There is a drug that is getting a lot of attention nowadays all over the world. It has various commercial names (Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus), but…

By Alicia Underlee NelsonProtests against President Trump’s policies and the cuts made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are planned across North Dakota and western Minnesota Friday, April 4 and…

By Vern Thompsonvern.thompson@rocketmail.com Working in the Bakken oil fields of the Williston Basin is so different from my home in Fargo. I'm not judging, because the people working and living in western North Dakota are very…