Doing Without

I’m moving out of my apartment in about a week.  My six month lease is up and, rather than extend the term, I have opted to conserve cash and accept the incredible generosity of my girlfriend and her roommate to allow me to live with them.

Being an entrepreneur is an incredible lesson in just what we can do with and do without.  For instance, I noticed a linen bag on the floor of my closet filled with button-down shirts in need of dry cleaning.  That bag has been there for quite a while.  I guess I can do without button-down shirts for the time being.  Or take the appeal of Dollar Shave Club (or, at least the appeal of its video), which was lost on me when I realized that I probably use one razor every 2 months since I shave every ten days.  Button-down shirts.  Shaving.  These are luxuries I can do without.

I have also forced myself, during this move, to consider exactly what I truly need to take with me to live, what I truly need to store, and what I should sell or throw away.  I have moved 4 times since June and once a year/two years since I was eighteen years old.  And what I have found is that certain items doggedly follow me from place to place for no real reason.  A hookah that I bought when I was 15 and last used when I was 16.  A old guitar with 5 strings that hasn’t been played since college.  A broken chair (why the hell have I kept a broken chair?)  These are not memories or sentimental objects; they’re just accumulated pieces that have somehow etched their way into the background of my life.  By letting go of these unnecessary artifacts of my past, I can focus on the most truly valuable resources of my present - those that I will utilize for my future.

The same mentality of doing without applies to my business.  We marshall every dollar and every resource and strive to put it to its highest and best use.  We think creatively about achieving the same outcome or output with the most efficient and inexpensive input.  We learn to do without - and we never let that be an impediment to moving forward or achieving our goals.  There’s an elegance to this process that I have thoroughly enjoyed - the stripping down of waste, the necessity for creativity - that I know will serve me well in the days and years ahead.