4 Ways Minimalism Can Help You Reach Your Life Goals

I’ve always been goal-oriented and had a strong desire to do well at work. While this is a great quality, it also gave me a sense of stress or overwhelm. I had to learn to calm down because I always wanted to do too much.

I first became interested in minimalism a few years back after watching the film “The Minimalists”. That concept spoke to me. The first stage was clearing the clutter. Later, I started letting go of my emotional baggage and unneeded worry.

As a life coach, I help people develop a life vision and achieve big goals. It can be difficult for us to gain clarity about our goals and to pursue them in a structured and focused way. And that’s where the life-changing concept of minimalism comes in.

Because when done right, setting goals can actually help you live a calmer, more mindful life.

But how can minimalism help you achieve your goals? Here are a few ways:

1. Concentrate on the things that are important to you

To start with, figure out what things are unimportant to you in life and stop stressing about them. In her best-selling book, “The life-changing magic of not giving a f**k”, Sarah Knight explains how she stopped stressing about things that don’t matter to her and lists step by step all the areas of life with things that are now unimportant to her.

Next, think about what makes you happy and how you can bring more of it into your life, instead of somehow putting everything off and living a reactive life.

Once you’re clear about what you don’t want and what you do want and remove the unwanted things, you put the focus on what is important to you. Now it’s much easier to develop a clear vision for your life and set goals that are not based on “actually I should”.

2. Let go of the past

Cleaning out sentimental items can be challenging. If you’re holding on to an item just for sentimental reasons, but it’s weighing you down, it’s time to let go of it and the thoughts you have about it. Letting go of the past is often difficult because we are often unaware of how much it still affects us.

When you clean out your home and let go of the things that trigger negative feelings and memories in you, it is also easier to clean up mentally and let go of fears and blocks that have prevented you from setting and achieving your goals. This is how minimalism can help you start a new chapter in your life.

3. Create more time, energy and money

Once you spend less time managing all your stuff or worrying about things that don’t really matter to you, you’ll magically have more time to pursue your personal goals. For example, those who own less will have less to clean and tidy. If you own less, you will have fewer bills to pay and thus less work to do.

When you spend less money on material things, you have more money for your dreams and goals. You can travel more, further your education, or start a business.

What would you do if you had to work less? What would you do if you didn’t have to spend the weekend cleaning things out of overflowing drawers and closets?

4. Increase your focus

Whenever my workspace isn’t tidy, I notice my concentration slipping. At the end of my work day, I put everything back where it belongs and even arrange my pens and office supplies at right angles. Crazy, I know! But it helps me keep a clear head and find things easier.

Places have to be visually appealing to me or I don’t feel comfortable at all. I think we are all a product of our surroundings.

The fewer distractions in our environment, the better we concentrate. We feel less stress and are more productive. This can help you achieve your goals faster and be more successful.

Minimalism can help you make room for new goals by ridding yourself of unnecessary physical and mental clutter. You can find out what your dreams and goals really are and focus on achieving them. Minimalism offers you a chance to be more intentional about your life and to use the time and energy you gain to focus on your true priorities.

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About the Author: Natja Böttcher is a life coach and writer from Germany. She helps women overcome their fears and blocks to pursue their dreams and achieve any big goals they set for themselves. Find out more at natja-boettcher.com