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The Power of Less

In this modern society faced with limitless choices, do you sometimes feel paralyzed?

Join the club.  At no other time in history has a book like this been necessary, let alone popular.

In a culture that celebrates freedom via offering limitless choices, here's a book coming along saying that what we really need in order to be free is to set limits on ourselves.

Perfect example:  On a recent episode of WNYC's Radio Lab, the show hosts are faced with a dazzling array of fruit and their task is to pick just one.  While co-host Robert uses his gut instinct and just grabs something, co-host Jad deliberates agonizingly over which one to choose.  He's almost paralyzed by the array of choices spread out before him, and he finds that he fears -- horror of horrors -- making the wrong decision.

That's our modern life in a nutshell.

Leo Babauta's book, The Power of Less, is a brilliant guide toward circumventing this modern problem.  The solution?  Some soul searching and introspection to determine what it is that you really want to do in your life, and list these as your essentials.  Then examine what you are actually doing with your life, and start limiting yourself to tasks and goals that are aligned with your essentials -- and systematically eliminating everything else.

Let me tell you, over the last few months I've toted this book with me literally half way around the globe, reading it on airplanes, hotel rooms, restaurants -- and taking extensive notes.  The book is brilliant in its simplicity, and also in its scope.  For something so focused it delves into every aspect of your life, guiding you through discovering what is essential to you and helping you limit yourself to that which gets you to your essentials.  Not only in your personal life, but in your professional one as well.

It challenged me in some areas, it gave me many "Ah-hah!" moments, and it also echoed a lot of things I'd already decided were truths in my life.  But nowhere in the book did it strike a sour note -- the philosophy is pure, easy, and true.

I recommend this book, and also, I recommend listening to the Radio Lab's podcast on choices as a companion.  They reinforce each other as well as expand each other's horizons.  And here's an open suggestion both to Leo and to the guys at Radio Lab -- you need to get together and do a show on The Power of Less.  The synergy would be fantastic.

Leo's blog:  Zen Habits Book website:  The Power of Less

Buy the book here:  Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Borders

Listen to the Radio Lab podcast on Choices:  "Choice" by Radio Lab