When I was studying kung fu in China, my life was simple.

Every day we had 10 hours of training, some food, and sleep.

When I came back, errands started piling up again.

I realized how much I missed this simplicity and designed a principle to be aware of it.

ABUNDANCE LEADS TO ADDICTION.

SCARCITY LEADS TO FREEDOM.

You need much less stuff than you think you need.

But it’s hard to accept it unless you drop everything, open your eyes, and see.

It’s like Matrix. Nobody believes they’re in the Matrix until you wake them up.

Here’s how the Abundance Matrix works.

Abundance triggers desire

It makes you want things you didn’t want when you had no access to them.

Remember checking that fridge at midnight? Or scrolling through YouTube feed, when you don’t really want to watch stuff? That’s how abundance works.

WHEN WE HAVE 24/7 ACCESS TO ANYTHING WE MIGHT DESIRE, WE WANT IT MORE AND MORE.

Desire leads to action

If you’re not one of those few with titanic willpower, you’re gonna eat that cake or watch that funny video. Over and over.

Action creates addiction

Your brain will come up with a perfect explanation for the thing you just did so that you don’t go nuts.

You had a bad day at work? Have some cake.

You worked really hard today and now deserve watching YouTube for a few minutes to relax, right?

Sure, some of those thoughts are coming from your “higher” brain, your consciousness.

But don’t assume that all of them are. Put your thoughts under the microscope. Chances are, you’re still in the Abundance Matrix.

Remove abundance to avoid addiction

You can try to play the God mode and not act on your desires, but that’s gonna be tough (and, honestly, not really fun).

Instead, focus on the root cause.

DESIGN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THINGS ARE SCARCE.

Three tips that might help:

1. Just being aware of this principle helps to build up abundance immunity over time.
2. If you find yourself wondering whether you need this thing/person/meeting or whatever that is, you probably don’t need it. This one is very similar to Derek Sivers approach: if you’re not saying “HELL YEAH!” about something, just say “no.”
3. Once in a few months, review your schedule/projects/wardrobe/etc. for things that you don’t need. You’ll be surprised how much stuff you can just throw away.

KEEP YOUR LIFE SIMPLE. DON’T BUY LOTS OF STUFF.

GET RID OF THINGS AND PEOPLE YOU DON’T NEED.

YOU NEED MUCH LESS THAN YOU THINK YOU NEED: A FUNCTIONING BODY AND A FUNCTIONING MIND.