"Life is like a snowball, all you need is wet snow and a really long hill"
Here's the tale of the minimalist and the hoarder. One that breathes patience, diligently works to shape a seamless snowball—whilst the other quickly squeezes a bunch of particles so he can shine first. More snowballs follow to stoke the hoarder's momentum, whereas the minimalist remains hidden.
Praise is put to the test one day when the hoarder is invited to perform his achievements for numerous fans. The minimalist joins on stage, ignored, setting a seamless snowball in place. The hoarder flinches, when asked the same. With trembling force he picks one from his collection, barely surviving the process.
As the shot signal fires, both snowballs roll off, immediately crushing the hoarder’s work and ego. The minimalist, on the other hand, sees his snowball gaining speed, gradually becoming a powerful catalyst.
And so it goes, long praising achievers that are "blessed and came out of nowhere." The truth eventually reveals one way or another—thus an encouragement to those dedicated, humble enough to work towards a seamless snowball, rather a facade. Ones bound for the hoarder's fate, stand as guides to them—for it will bear long-lasting consequences.
In this short-story, the minimalist, hoarder as per my belief, provide a good illustration of our quality of life and how we achieve our goals. In today's society, everything is extremely dynamic and full of distraction. Some people end up losing themselves completely, away from their dedications, to catch up with self-destructive facades on social media.
The minimalist is someone that distances from instant fame/boasting stuff so it can channel its energy, creativity and joy in something big that requires time. The hoarder, is one that plays the rat race, hoping for a quick and easy win. Excessive attention, confirmation is needed to keep the fabricated world alive. This inflated balloon tends to burst sooner or later.
So recognise the authentic ones, and lead by example—it can be vital to whom you become. If you’ve noticed, there is a common thread running through previous articles. Warren's encounter with Benjamin Graham, later Charlie Munger had a tremendous impact. Warren emphasises, "the best thing I did, was choose the right heroes."
Warren Buffet is someone that shaped a marvellous snowball and chose to be the minimalist over the hoarder. The Snowball: Warren Buffett, and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder offer a great example. Warren stresses, "life is like a snowball, all you need is wet snow and a really long hill."
Are there habits you are holding onto that might ultimately sabotage your long-term goals? How could changing these now influence your future?
Trust the hunch. Find the story.
Antoine
Thanks for the shout-out! Much appreciated!