(Hey all. Don’t miss the survey at the end of this week’s edition).
“Simplicity, clarity, singleness: These are the attributes that give our lives power and vividness and joy as they are also the marks of great art.” —Richard Holloway
In Stephen King’s novel, “Dreamcatcher”, one of the most hauntingly imaginative scenes unfolds when Jonesy, one of the main characters, retreats into his own mind. But this isn’t just any mindscape. This is a humongous library, its shelves groaning with the weight of countless secrets. Every book, every file, is a fragment of Jonesy’s memories, meticulously cataloged and stored away.
The library is his sanctuary. The last bastion of his identity. But it’s also a battleground. With each step, the space around him grows darker, more oppressive, as if something malevolent is closing in. He’s desperately trying to protect certain memories, locking away the most important files in a hidden memory warehouse. But the intruder—an alien presence—threatens to invade even these innermost sanctuaries.
The scene in the book is a chilling exploration of the mind’s vulnerability and resilience. As it turns out, it’s also a pretty vivid illustration of the random stuff that keeps us from discovering wells of creativity we never knew existed before.
Unless you’re a doomsday prepper who’s been hold up in your bunker waiting for Apophis to take out the planet, you surely have heard of Marie Kondo. Marie is the high priestess of tidying up. Garage bulging with old, rusted out bikes? Long ago useless bassinets? Beat up kayak you can’t even imagine lifting up on the roof of your car anymore? Marie can get you dug out and leading the monastic life in a jiffy.
As creatives, it’s decluttering our minds that we really need to think about.
Minimalism isn't just about paring down. It’s about tunnel focus. It's making every word, every image, every pause count. It’s where our imaginations aren’t suffocated by the noise, but liberated by the space. The best work doesn’t shout. It whispers. In the end, it’s not about saying more. It’s about making sure what you say actually matters.
In the early days of Apple, Steve Jobs, minimalist that he was, was obsessed with simplicity. Apple had a prototype of its iPod ready to go. Jobs asked them to make it smaller. The engineers freaked out. They’d already crammed everything in. Jobs walked over to an aquarium in the room and dropped the iPod prototype into the water. As it sank, bubbles started rising to the surface. “Those are air pockets,” Jobs said. “Make it smaller.”
Minimalism is pushing past the junk, the irrelevant stuff, the relentless peeling back of the onion to get to the core essence of an idea. Jobs knew that by stripping away the unnecessary, he could create something that felt effortless, intuitive, and iconic.
Creativity thrives in the never-ending pursuit of the essential. Not the doo dads. Not the window dressing. The essential. When you cut through the fat, you reveal something pure, powerful, and impossible to ignore. I promise you. Pull a Marie Kondo on your mind and your sense of clarity, focus, and inspiration will take off full-tilt boogie. So how can you do that exactly?
Om Is Where The Idea Is: Practice mindfulness or meditation to center your thoughts. Even a few minutes of deep breathing can help clear mental clutter.
Diary Of A Simple Person: Write down your thoughts, ideas, and worries. This helps you process emotions and organize your ideas, making space for new insights.
Rituals Rule: Establish rituals before or after creative sessions. This could be as simple as lighting a candle, taking a walk, or playing a specific piece of music.
Prioritize, Prioritize, Prioritize: Focus on what’s most important. Create a list of priorities, and break down tasks into manageable steps to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Just Say No: Reduce screen time, especially on social media. Unplugging from constant information can free up mental space for creativity.
Cluttered Office, Cluttered Mind: Clean and organize your workspace. A tidy environment often leads to a clearer mind.
X Marks The Spot:: Use mind maps to visually organize your ideas. This can help you see connections and reduce mental chaos.
Multitasking Is Killing You: Focus on one task at a time. Multitasking can create mental clutter and reduce the quality of your creative output.
No Means No: Learn to say no to tasks or projects that don’t align with your goals, allowing more space for what truly matters.
Pull Yourself Away: Step away from your work periodically. Engage in activities like drawing, listening to music, or spending time in nature to refresh your mind.
I’ll wrap it up with this very cool observation from Thnk in Richmond, Virginia:
“In our fast-paced, consumption-driven world, it’s easy to get caught up in the mindset that more is better. But the truth is, the key to living your best life often lies in having less. Embracing minimalism and paring down to the essentials can free up your time, your space, and your mind, allowing you to focus on what truly matters most. When you let go of the excess, you create room for the things that bring you genuine joy and fulfillment. It’s not about depriving yourself, but about curating your life to include only the people, possessions, and experiences that enrich your happiness. So why not try letting go of a little? You may just find that all you really need is less”.
Could not agree more.
"There are many things we would throw away if we were not afraid that others might pick them up."
Oscar Wilde