On the Pursuit of Simplicity

About ten years ago I put a lot of weight on the material “symbols of success.” They mattered to me: watches, designer clothes, cars, wine. Looking back, it was a kind of addiction to social approval — fuel for the ego and for the feeling of being someone special.

Take wine, for example. I hunted for rare bottles, spent hours choosing them, brought them home from different countries, filled up the wine fridge, decanted before drinking, and even finished a short sommelier course.

How much does any of that matter to me now?

If someone gives me an expensive bottle, or I catch one on sale, or bring it straight from the winery, or a friend opens something special — wonderful! And if not — no loss, I’ll drink the ordinary kind.

These days it’s all much simpler: I chill the wine in the fridge before drinking, the wine fridge is nearly empty, and instead of a decanter I use a three-hundred-ruble Chinese aerator. And you know what — I’m happier than ever, even though my finances have only grown since then.

The main thing is that I barely think about it anymore. I don’t fret, I’m not trying to prove anything to myself or to anyone else. My dopamine receptors have “cleaned out,” and when I treat myself now and then — instead of constantly — I get genuine pleasure from it.

I no longer see the point of overpaying where the price is wildly inflated, the way it is on certain wines in restaurants. Maybe I’m just not rich enough, but I do know the value of money I’ve earned. The cost of producing even the most expensive bottle in the world doesn’t exceed thirty euros. Everything on top of that is a markup for the brand and the service — almost like everything else, really. On the plus side, over the years I’ve learned to find “hidden gems” — astonishing wines at sane prices — and I’m proud of that skill. And anyway, alcohol is no friend, and the less you drink, the better!

In the end, I started applying this principle of simplification to every part of my life, and it made me happier many times over. I became more focused on the things that actually matter. And I see the same tendency in a lot of successful people around me.

I’m not calling for anyone to give up ambition or the pleasures of the material world, and I’m not suggesting you neglect your image or your quality of life — not at all. It’s more about how reason in what we consume gives us freedom and an inner calm. As someone once put it: “Don’t be a slave to your things and your desires.”

Here’s to all of us being “simpler” and free from material stereotypes! 😎

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P.S. I’ve heard that, according to the statistics, collectors live longer — more reasons to look forward to, a longer planning horizon — but I’m not sure that’s true.