The Less You Want, The More You Have | Minimalist Philosophy for Living in Abundance

Summary

This video script explores the paradox of happiness and material wealth, suggesting that equating happiness with amassing a million dollars leads to a scarcity mindset. It advocates for a minimalist mindset of abundance, where contentment arises from fulfilling basic needs and reducing desires. The script encourages moderation, gratitude, contemplating the cost of desires, and avoiding long-term debt to achieve a state of abundance and happiness.

Takeaways

• 💡 Happiness is often perceived as scarce if it's linked to achieving a high monetary value, like a million dollars.
• 💰 The pursuit of happiness through material wealth can lead to a constant state of feeling 'in debt', as one always aims for more.
• 🌱 Adopting a minimalist mindset of abundance, where one feels content with meeting basic needs, can lead to a state of contentment more easily.
• 🚫 The less one desires, the more one has, as it reduces the stress of gain and loss, and fear of missing out.
• 🔄 Happiness that relies on external and specific conditions is difficult to maintain, as it's vulnerable to changes in those conditions.
• 🔄 The more specific our conditions for happiness, the less satisfied we become, highlighting the paradox of desire and contentment.
• 🤔 Our perception of what's 'enough' changes over time and is subjective, affecting our sense of abundance or scarcity.
• 🌊 We can shift our focus from what we lack to what we have, increasing our gratitude and thus our sense of abundance.
• 💭 Contemplating the 'cost' of our desires in terms of life and effort can help us prioritize needs that are easy to fulfill and bring satisfaction.
• 💔 Long-term debt, both financial and emotional, can be a source of stress and dissatisfaction, highlighting the importance of managing our desires.

Q & A

What is the main argument of the video regarding happiness and financial wealth?

The main argument is that happiness is not necessarily tied to having a large amount of money, such as one million dollars. The video suggests that setting happiness as a goal that requires a high financial threshold can lead to a constant state of unhappiness and scarcity.

How does the video relate the concept of debt to the pursuit of happiness?

The video equates the pursuit of happiness with being in debt, where the 'debt' is the unfulfilled desires or needs that one has set as prerequisites for happiness. It suggests that the more we desire, the more we feel we are in 'debt' and the less satisfied we become.

What is the significance of the 'minimalist mindset of abundance' mentioned in the video?

The 'minimalist mindset of abundance' refers to a state of contentment that comes from having one's basic needs met and being grateful for what one already has. It contrasts with the constant pursuit of more, which can lead to dissatisfaction and a sense of scarcity.

How does the video suggest we can shift from a scarcity mindset to one of abundance?

The video suggests shifting from scarcity to abundance by downgrading our needs, being thankful for what we have, contemplating the true cost of our desires, and staying out of long-term debt.

What role do natural and unnecessary desires play in our sense of happiness according to Epicurus' philosophy mentioned in the video?

Epicurus' philosophy, as mentioned in the video, suggests that natural and unnecessary desires, such as luxurious food and expensive clothing, should be avoided because they are hard to satisfy and can lead to a sense of scarcity and dissatisfaction.

How does the video link the concept of moderation to the experience of abundance?

The video links moderation to abundance by suggesting that practicing self-control and modesty allows us to enjoy pleasures without becoming dependent on them. This prevents overindulgence and maintains the sense of abundance by keeping our desires in check.

What is the importance of gratitude in achieving a state of contentment as discussed in the video?

Gratitude is important in achieving contentment because it helps us focus on and appreciate what we already have, rather than constantly seeking more. This shift in focus can increase the value of what we possess and lead to a greater sense of satisfaction.

How does the video use the example of a 'perfect life' to illustrate the challenges of setting specific conditions for happiness?

The video uses the example of a 'perfect life' to show how setting specific and high standards for happiness can lead to a fragile sense of well-being. It argues that if any aspect of this 'perfect' life is not met, it can cause the entire structure of happiness to collapse.

What does the video suggest as an alternative to depending on external circumstances for happiness?

The video suggests focusing on internal factors and readily available sources of joy as an alternative to depending on external circumstances. It encourages finding satisfaction in the present and in what is abundant, rather than waiting for future achievements.

How does the video interpret Henry David Thoreau's quote about the price of anything being the amount of life exchanged for it?

The video interprets Thoreau's quote to mean that we should consider the personal cost, including time and health, of fulfilling our desires. It suggests that focusing on needs that require less of our life to fulfill can lead to a greater sense of abundance.

What is the video's stance on the relationship between desires and happiness?

The video posits that having fewer desires can lead to more happiness because it reduces the dependence on external factors and the stress associated with unmet desires. It encourages managing our desires to experience more abundance and contentment.

Outlines

00:00

💰 The Pursuit of Happiness and the Myth of Scarcity

The paragraph explores the idea that happiness is often equated with wealth, suggesting that a million dollars is needed for happiness. It points out that this perspective can lead to a sense of perpetual debt and unhappiness, as most people do not achieve such wealth. The narrative challenges the notion that happiness is scarce and instead proposes that a minimalist mindset focused on abundance can lead to contentment. It argues that by reducing our desires and focusing on what we already have, we can achieve a state of abundance and happiness. The paragraph also touches on the stress and discontent that arise from setting happiness conditions on unattainable or external factors.

05:07

🌱 Cultivating Abundance Through Minimalism and Moderation

This paragraph delves into the concept of managing desires to achieve a sense of abundance. It references Epicurus's philosophy, which categorizes desires into necessary, unnecessary, and vain, advocating for the fulfillment of the first while avoiding the latter. The paragraph discusses the modern 'grey area' of non-essential desires that are abundant yet lead to dissatisfaction through overindulgence. It introduces the Stoic virtue of 'moderation' as a tool to prevent desires from ruling us, ensuring that pleasures remain enjoyable without leading to a sense of scarcity. The paragraph also emphasizes the importance of gratitude, suggesting that focusing on what we have rather than what we lack can significantly increase our sense of contentment and happiness.

10:08

💭 Contemplating the Cost of Desires and the Path to Satisfaction

The final paragraph examines the costs associated with our desires, both financially and in terms of life's sacrifices. It uses Thoreau's quote to encourage reflection on the 'life' we exchange for material possessions. The narrative suggests that focusing on affordable and easily attainable needs can foster a sense of abundance. It warns against long-term debt, both financial and psychological, which can lead to chronic dissatisfaction. The paragraph concludes by contrasting two approaches to abundance: accumulating more or controlling our desires. It advocates for the latter, suggesting that reducing our desires allows us to find satisfaction in the present and what is readily available, leading to a more abundant and less stressful life.

Keywords

💡Happiness

Happiness in the context of the video is portrayed as a subjective state of well-being that is often mistakenly equated with the accumulation of wealth. The video challenges the notion that happiness is scarce and can only be achieved by reaching a high financial threshold, such as a million dollars. It suggests that happiness is more readily accessible through a minimalist mindset and by focusing on what one already has, rather than what one lacks.

💡Scarcity

Scarcity refers to the perceived insufficiency of something, often leading to a sense of lack or incompleteness. In the video, scarcity is contrasted with abundance, and it is suggested that perceiving happiness as scarce, such as needing a large sum of money to be happy, can lead to a constant state of dissatisfaction and stress. The script uses the metaphor of being 'in debt' to happiness to illustrate the burden of unmet desires.

💡Abundance

Abundance is the state of having plenty or more than enough. The video promotes the idea of an 'abundant mindset' where one feels content with what they have and focuses on the essentials. It is suggested that abundance can be achieved by reducing one's desires and being grateful for what one already possesses, which contrasts with the constant pursuit of more, leading to a sense of scarcity.

💡Minimalist mindset

A minimalist mindset is an approach to life where one seeks to minimize consumption and focus on the essentials. The video advocates for this mindset as a means to achieve contentment and happiness by reducing the number of desires one has. It is presented as an alternative to the materialistic pursuit of happiness, which often leads to a feeling of scarcity.

💡Contentment

Contentment is the state of being satisfied with what one has or where one is in life. The video discusses contentment as a state that can be achieved by embracing a minimalist mindset and focusing on the abundance of the essentials, rather than constantly striving for more. It is presented as a more sustainable source of happiness than the pursuit of material wealth.

💡Desire

Desire in the video is depicted as a driving force that can lead to both motivation and dissatisfaction. It is suggested that managing one's desires is key to achieving happiness. The video encourages viewers to focus on natural and necessary desires, as opposed to vain or excessive ones, to find a balance that leads to contentment.

💡Moderation

Moderation, as discussed in the video, is the virtue of self-control and avoiding excess. It is presented as a tool to manage desires and prevent overindulgence, which can lead to dissatisfaction despite abundance. The video references the philosophy of Epicurus, suggesting that focusing on necessary desires and practicing moderation can lead to a more satisfying life.

💡Gratitude

Gratitude is the feeling of appreciation and thankfulness for what one has. The video emphasizes the importance of gratitude in increasing the value of what one already possesses and in shifting one's focus from what is lacking to what is present. It is presented as a means to achieve happiness by recognizing and valuing the abundance in one's life.

💡Debt

In the video, debt is used metaphorically to describe the psychological burden of unfulfilled desires. It suggests that every unfulfilled desire puts one 'in debt' to their own mind, which constantly demands fulfillment. The video argues that staying out of 'long-term debt' by managing desires and focusing on readily available sources of satisfaction can lead to a more abundant and stress-free life.

💡Long-term goals

Long-term goals are aspirations or objectives that one aims to achieve over an extended period. The video acknowledges the importance of having long-term goals but cautions against letting happiness depend solely on their realization. It suggests finding joy in immediate and abundant things to maintain a sense of satisfaction while working towards these goals.

Highlights

Happiness is often perceived as scarce if it's linked to achieving a high net worth, such as one million dollars.

The pursuit of happiness through material wealth can lead to a constant state of feeling 'in debt' emotionally.

A minimalist mindset of abundance can lead to contentment by focusing on meeting basic needs rather than excessive desires.

The concept that 'the less you want, the more you have' is introduced as a path to experiencing abundance.

Happiness becomes elusive when it's tied to specific, hard-to-obtain conditions like material possessions or social status.

The 'perfect life' scenario is critiqued for its unrealistic expectations and potential to cause dissatisfaction.

The backwards law is mentioned, illustrating that the more we need, the less satisfied we become.

Our perception of what's 'enough' is subjective and can change over time, affecting our sense of abundance.

The importance of managing our desires to avoid a constant state of scarcity is emphasized.

Epicurus' quote is highlighted, suggesting that reducing desires is a path to happiness.

The power of moderation is discussed as a way to prevent desires from ruling our lives.

Gratitude is presented as a strategy to increase the value of what we have and achieve satisfaction.

Contemplating the cost of our desires in terms of 'life exchanged' can lead to more mindful consumption.

Staying out of long-term debt, both financial and emotional, is advised to reduce stress and increase contentment.

The video concludes by suggesting that abundance can be created by either accumulating more or by limiting our desires.

Transcripts

Imagine that we need one million dollars  to be happy. If that’s the case, then as  

long as we don’t reach this amount, we’re  unhappy. If we look at humanity’s poverty  

and its small percentage of millionaires, we can  conclude that happiness is scarce if it requires  

seven figures in a bank account. Now, let’s say that we deeply desire  

to be happy and feel incomplete as long as  we don’t reach this mental state. So far,  

we’ve managed to save a hundred thousand dollars,  which might be a lot of money to most of us, but  

if we take the requirement of happiness we’ve set  for ourselves into account, we are nine hundred  

thousand dollars in debt. It’s not comfortable to  be in debt, as it weighs heavily on our shoulders  

and implies a state of owing something, which,  in this case, is a desire left unpaid. Only if  

we obtain what we want is this debt paid off. If  what we need is scarce, it’s challenging to get  

and easy to lose because everyone wants it. In our  experience, then, happiness is in short supply. 

Suppose we let our life satisfaction depend  on things challenging to obtain. In that case,  

we set ourselves up for stress, discontent,  and insecurity. We tend to worry a lot about  

not having what we want, losing what we have,  and the future not playing out as we desire. 

A much better alternative would be  a minimalist mindset of abundance.  

If we experience no shortage in getting our needs  met, we’ll quickly achieve a state of contentment.  

And the quickest way to reach  abundance is by downgrading our needs.  

The less you want, the more you have. And when  we have plenty, we care less about gain and loss;  

we’re less stressed about missing  out and less fearful of change. 

This video delves into the benefits of being  satisfied with little, how this leads to a more  

carefree life, and how we can experience abundance  instead of scarcity through a minimalist mindset.

When happiness is in short supply,  we need to work hard to obtain it.  

The requirements for happiness we’ve decided for  ourselves could be material possessions, money,  

high social status, a near-perfect partner,  or, perhaps, a combination of these factors.  

Imagine slaving away endlessly to meet these  requirements while continually experiencing this  

nagging sense of dissatisfaction (because as long  as our needs aren’t satisfied, we’re not happy).  

Imagine that when we finally obtain our holy  grail, we anxiously hold on to it, as losing what  

we’ve worked so hard for would mean the end of our  happiness. What a demanding life that would be? 

The more specific our conditions for  happiness are, the more difficult  

it becomes to be satisfied. Especially when  we’ve made our happiness dependent on outside  

circumstances that are incredibly fickle; even  the smallest of changes threaten the foundations  

of our well-being. An example of this would be  a person who desires a (quote-unquote) “perfect  

life,” which entails a “perfect” house, “perfect”  family, “perfect” job, “perfect” social circle,  

and the list goes on. Satisfaction requires  all variables to be fulfilled. But if one of  

them isn’t “perfect,” then this person’s sense  of happiness collapses like a house of cards. 

As the backwards law shows us: the more we need  to be satisfied, the less satisfied we become;  

and the more we want, the less we feel we have.  So, the less we need from the world, the more  

we’ll experience abundance. Abundance implies  that we have more than enough. But what’s enough?  

That’s subjective: for some, it’s never enough.  For others, very little is enough. Also, our idea  

of what’s enough tends to change over time. For  example, when we’re still in college, having  

enough money to buy food and going to parties  tends to be enough. But when we’re advanced in our  

careers, we could very well be dissatisfied with  salaries that dwarf the income of most students. 

The good news is that we can change  our perceptions of what’s enough. And  

the less we need to have enough, the easier  we’re satisfied. We’re also less distressed  

by the fickleness of the outside world, as a  changing environment won’t easily affect what’s  

plentiful. Just look at the oceans; despite all  the changes our planet has gone through during  

the last four billion years, they’re still around. Imagine someone who’s happy and fulfilled with the  

essentials, like clothing, food, shelter, and  a few people to talk to, now and then, online  

or offline. This person’s satisfaction depends  on abundant things and, thus, is easy to obtain.  

So, it’s tough to harm this person’s contentment  because what’s abundant will always be readily  

available, contrary to what’s scarce. So, the less we need, the stronger our  

position becomes. However, we can’t be  without desire entirely. Having needs  

is part of being human. But we can manage our  desires, so we dwell less frequently in a realm  

of scarcity and lack and predominantly in the  domain of abundance. As Epicurus once stated:  

“If you want to make a man happy, add not unto his  riches but take away from his desires.” End quote.  

Here are a couple of ways to channel our desires  so that we can shift from scarcity to abundance.

(1) The power of moderation

In a previous video, we’ve explored the philosophy  of Epicurus in the context of minimalist living.  

Epicurus distinguished three kinds of desires:  natural and necessary desires (like food, shelter,  

and rest), natural and unnecessary desires  (like luxurious food and expensive clothing),  

and vain desires (like power, extreme wealth,  and fame). In short, Epicurus believed that we  

should focus on the first (which are necessary  and easy to satisfy) and avoid the latter (which  

are unnecessary and impossible to satisfy). However, this also leaves a vast grey area  

of needs that, in the modern world, aren’t  necessary for happiness but still abundant and,  

thus, easy to obtain. For example: listening to  music, playing video games, or browsing YouTube.  

Looking at the amount of music, games,  and videos available these days, we could  

say that these pleasures are abundant. But we  tend to overindulge in them. Now, the problem  

is that overindulgence leads to dissatisfaction  despite the abundance because to feel satisfied,  

we need more and more, as our senses become less  sensitive and need more stimulation. And the  

more we need, the less abundance we’ll experience. If we’d choose our needs wisely, we might not want  

to engage with them in ways that disempower us.  The Stoics proposed a virtue called ‘moderation’  

to curb our desires, so they do not rule us.  Moderation includes modesty and self-control.  

If we master these virtues, then pleasures  in abundant supply will not conquer us but  

serve us only when we choose, so they maintain  their quality of being plentiful and enjoyable.

(2) Being thankful for what we have

Humans tend to focus on what they  want rather than on what they have.  

But doing so means we exchange potential sources  of contentment for unfulfilled desires and the  

pain that comes with that. The things we  have form a very accessible source of joy.  

Is there anything easier to obtain than what  we already have? Or: is there anything more  

acutely available than what’s already in our  possession? When we fail to cherish what we have,  

we’ll be dissatisfied, so we need to put in the  effort to look for something else. But if we turn  

away from what we don’t have and start focusing  on what we do have, happiness will be a bargain. 

Being grateful for what we have increases  the value of what we have. For example,  

many people view the houses they live  in as insufficient: too small, too old,  

too ugly. But they could also see the glass as  half-full: they have a roof over their heads,  

live small but cozily, and old doesn’t always mean  unsuitable for living. Even though larger, newer,  

better-looking houses are available, the places  they live in still suit their basic need: shelter.  

There are many people with worse living spaces,  or even without homes. Compared to them,  

any home is a blessing and something to be  grateful for. When we shift the paradigm  

from dissatisfaction to gratitude, the value  of the same house increases; we now value and  

cherish what we previously devalued. Gratitude,  therefore, is not just a free-of-charge ticket to  

satisfaction; it’s also a way to save money. Had  we satisfied the desire for a new house, we would  

have eventually ended up with the same level of  satisfaction, but we also pay most dearly for it.

(3) Contemplating the price of our needs

Our needs come with a price. In general,  what’s abundant is cheap and what’s scarce is  

expensive. And it’s easier to acquire something  affordable than something lavish. But still,  

the level of difficulty depends on our context.  Someone wealthy, for example, will have an easy  

time obtaining a costly watch, which, for a  poor person, could take years of saving money.  

Even though the watch’s price remains the  same, it’s relatively cheaper for the rich  

than for the poor. So, when selecting our needs,  it’s wise to contemplate what they truly cost us.  

American philosopher Henry David  Thoreau had a simple rule for this,  

and I quote: “The price of anything is the  amount of life you exchange for it.” End quote. 

Whenever we desire something, we could immediately  ask ourselves: what amount of life will I exchange  

for this? How many hours of work does this  purchase require of me? And how much does  

this work affect my health? Things that need a  small amount of life in exchange can be considered  

cheap. Items that require a large amount of life  can be regarded as expensive. If we focus on the  

needs that are cheap and easy to fulfill, we  experience abundance. This abundance is either  

based on having plenty of resources or the minor  requirement of life that it takes to fulfill it. 

Taking an expensive mortgage may not be such a  great idea if this requires us to walk on our toes  

for it. Even though we might buy a dream house,  eventually, the price could outweigh the benefit.

(4) Staying out of long-term debt

Being in debt can be a very stressful  experience, as an obligation to pay off  

what we owe shackles us. Although we associate  debt with money, our desires also generate  

debt to one of the most tormenting, nagging,  demanding creditors we can think of: the mind. 

So, how is the mind a creditor? Well, every  time we notice that a desire arouses within us,  

we’re instantly in debt. We moved from  the debt-free experience of contentment,  

in which we owe ourselves nothing as we have  no desires need to be paid off, into the red.  

The mind demands that we fulfill this desire,  and if we don’t, it keeps knocking on our door  

like a debt collector. To a certain extent, this  is inevitable. When we’re hungry, for example,  

we must satisfy our hunger with food. When  we’re tired and in need of rest, we must pay off  

this debt by sleeping. But in most parts of the  world, food and sleep are widely available. So,  

paying off these natural desires isn’t hard to do. Real difficulties start when we immerse ourselves  

in long-term desires that we must fulfill to feel  satisfied. By doing this, we burden ourselves with  

long-term debt: a feeling of lack that only  goes away when this desire is fulfilled,  

which can leave us feeling incomplete for a long  time. An example of such a predicament is how some  

people handle unrequited love. Imagine having  romantic feelings for someone, but this person  

doesn’t feel the same way about you. If you’re  unable to accept this and spend your days hoping  

that this person someday reciprocates, you’ve  set yourself up for long-term dissatisfaction.  

Your mind has turned the romantic interest  of someone who’s not interested into a  

prerequisite for happiness. So, you’ll be  in debt until the mind gets what it wants,  

which probably never happens. Hope, therefore,  is not a good strategy for happiness.

Instead of letting our happiness depend on  realizing dreams and desires in the future,  

especially those that take ages to realize (or  we never realize at all), we might want to focus  

on finding joy in more readily available  things. Enjoying the immediate doesn’t mean  

that we shouldn’t have long-term goals, but that  we appreciate the small things and don’t let our  

joie de vivre solely depend on realizing the big. We can generate satisfaction with very little,  

with what’s abundant. But this often means that  instead of conquering the world, we need to  

conquer our desire for the world. Ultimately,  there are two ways of creating abundance.  

The first one is by accumulating more  of what we desire, but by doing so,  

we become dependent on outside circumstances  that we cannot control. The second one is by  

putting a chain on our desires, so we  make the things that are already here,  

in the present, more satisfying to  us. The less we desire from the world,  

the more abundant the world appears. Thus,  the less you want, the more you have.

Thank you for watching.