Greatness Through Subtraction: Unlocking the Genius of Achieving More by Doing Less

By Sam Schreim

Unveil Your Hidden Genius: The Art of Achieving More by Doing Less

Pursuing more has left you feeling less fulfilled, less productive, and more overwhelmed than ever. You yearn for simplicity, for a way to unlock your true potential without adding more to your already packed life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: SCAS Inc
• Release date: Dec 31, 2023
• ISBN: 9781960908070

Book preview

Greatness Through Subtraction

Unlocking the Genius of Achieving More by Doing Less

BY

SAM SCHREIM

© Copyright 2023 - All rights reserved.

The content contained within this book may not be reproduced, duplicated or transmitted without direct written permission from the author or the publisher.

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Please note the information contained within this document is for educational and entertainment purposes only. All effort has been executed to present accurate, up to date, reliable, complete information. No warranties of any kind are declared or implied. Readers acknowledge that the author is not engaged in the rendering of legal, financial, medical or professional advice. The content within this book has been derived from various sources. Please consult a licensed professional before attempting any techniques outlined in this book.

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Preface

Our complex world bombards us with distractions that can cloud clarity of purpose. Yet within this complexity lies an unexpected path to greatness: the elegance of subtraction. By removing distractions, we reveal our true potential. I uncovered the power of subtraction firsthand when a flood washed away my overpacked basement, oddly freeing me. This began a transformative journey into the forgotten wisdom and science behind achieving more by doing less. This uncovered knowledge allowed me to trade days of being overwhelmed for a life of meaning.

In these pages, you’ll learn how stripping away excess unlocks potential. You'll learn why constraints spark creativity, space encourages calm, and shedding clutter allows talents to thrive. We'll reframe assumptions through the lens of history's great minds like da Vinci who knew simplicity is sophistication. You'll gain proven methods to declutter, focus priorities, and align work with purpose: Accomplishing more by doing less

This isn't just about tidying up. It's an invitation to question defaults and clear mental obstacles holding you back from realizing your potential for greatness. The time has come to subtract overload and unveil your hidden genius.

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The genius of subtraction is that it creates space for you to thrive. Join me to experience the joy of open moments with loved ones, harmony with nature, and your own personal growth. Turning the page begins revealing your unique gift to the world.

Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction

A Brief History of Subtraction

Growing Relevance of Subtraction Today

Chapter 1: Harnessing the Science of Subtraction

Psychological Research on the Benefits of Subtraction

Studies on Increased Focus and Creativity

What Neuroscience Has to Say on Subtractive Thinking

Make It a Habit and Make It Stick

Summary and Key Takeaways

Chapter 2: Decluttering Your Life, Declutter Your Mind

Assessing the Clutter in Your Home

Affinity Diagrams: Your New Best Friend

Flow Charts for Organization

Additional Tips for Decluttering Physical Spaces

Mental Clutter and Distraction

The Eisenhower Matrix

Practices for Reducing Mental Clutter

Key Takeaways

Chapter 3: Minimalism for Maximum Joy

The Benefits of Living With Less

Cultivating Gratitude With Fewer Possessions

Simplifying Your Wardrobe and Finances

Minimalism Using the 80/20 Rule

Minimalism and Stress

Happiness Through Minimalism

The 80/20 Rule

Exercises to Practice Creative Subtraction

Key Takeaways

Chapter 4: Subtracting Stress, Adding Wellness

Reducing Processed Foods and Refined Sugars and Embracing Intermittent Fasting

Quitting Your Vices

The Morphological Box

Subtracting Stress with Mindfulness

Focusing on Sleep, Diet, and Exercise

Key Takeaways

Chapter 5: The Freedom of Focus

Identify Low-Value Activities

Quitting Unnecessary Commitments

Overcoming Resistance and FOMO

Focusing Your Effort on Core Priorities

The 80/20 Rule to Improve Focus

Apply The Eisenhower Matrix

Key Takeaways

Chapter 6: Fostering Creativity Through Constraints

Examples of Innovations Born From Constraints

Strategies for Applying Limitations

When Fewer Choices Lead to Better Outcomes

The Morphological Box

Key Takeaways

Chapter 7: Editing Elegance in Design

Why You Want a Simple Design

Design Thinking for Simplicity

The Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

Key Takeaways

Chapter 8: Subtraction for Sustainable Living

The Minimalist Movement

Reducing Consumption and Waste

Subtraction and Environmentalism

Identifying Areas for White Space

Steps to Adopt a Sustainable Lifestyle

Key Takeaways

Chapter 9: The Subtractive Leader

Profiles of Successful Business Leaders

Leading With Clarity and Focus

Empower Teams by Removing Barriers

Fostering Innovation Through Constraints

Do the Most With VMOST

Key Takeaways

Chapter 10: Teaching and Coaching Through Subtraction

Streamlining Curriculums and Coaching Programs

Teaching Students Subtractive Thinking

Continual Refinement of Course Materials and Lessons

Learning Through Experimentation and Constraints

Key Takeaways

Chapter 11: Cooking Through Subtraction

Kaizen

Key Takeaways

Chapter 12: Questioning Defaults, Simplifying Life

Viewing Life Through a Subtractive Lens

Questioning Assumptions and Defaults

Continuously Refining and Simplifying Your Life

Balancing Subtraction and Addition

CATWOE

Journaling

Critically Analyzing Your Daily Activities

Meditating

Conclusion

References

Introduction

We shape clay into a pot, but it is the emptiness inside that holds whatever we want. –Lao Tzu

I'm sure you've heard Addition by Subtraction before, but have you ever thought about what it means? We live in a complex world riddled with an overabundance of data that we're exposed to nearly perpetually. All that exposure can sometimes be overstimulating and cause a kind of information overload. This could easily make anyone short-circuit, but luckily, the solution to it is not only simple but pretty straightforward as well: subtraction. Subtraction is likely one of the first things you learned how to do in your elementary school math class. However, it probably isn't something you're used to applying to your everyday life, even though it should be. In your daily life, subtraction is about embracing the power of less. It's about decluttering your life to focus your mind and sharpen your attention. It's about finding your true purpose without being pulled this way and that by all manner of distractions.

Sounds magical, right? It can be, so long as you know how to use subtraction correctly. Subtraction is born of a specific kind of mindset, which requires a particular thought process. This kind of thought process is known as subtractive thinking. To unlock this brand of magic that you're looking for, subtractive thinking can eliminate all distractions and unnecessary noise from your life to make room for things that matter to you or that bring you joy, as Marie Condo would put it. Just as a condo would have you empty an overly crowded closet, packed so tight that it looks like things will start falling out of it at any moment, you can empty your life of things you don't want and seem to take up more space than they're worth. Not only can you cut such distractions from your life, but you should, at least if you want to be able to work toward the goals you ultimately set for yourself.

All this naturally requires embracing the transformative power of less. The problem with this is that it goes against human nature. Our basic survival instincts as human beings dictate that we hoard whatever resources we find. In times when we lived in caves and didn't know when we'd be able to find food, this made sense. Now, it no longer does. Yet the human urge to keep hoarding and accumulating things remains. Instead of helping us survive, this urge now causes us unnecessary and undue stress. It robs us of our freedom of movement and even choice by making us lug our heavy luggage—yes, we have more than one—wherever we go. The human urge to collect doesn't just apply to physical materials. It applies to information as well. This is why we all but bombard ourselves with data and information, trying to collect every little scrap, thinking, You'll never know when you'll need it, when, in fact, you'll never need it.

Luckily, flipping the script and changing how you go about your daily life is more than possible, so long as you make a point to adopt a subtractive mindset. Adopting a subtractive mindset can be like putting on a loose sweater after taking off a very tight corset: It can let you take a deep, relaxing breath at last. Doing so can declutter your mind and show you possibilities you hadn't even been aware of. This is something I've personally experienced as an entrepreneur. Having seen how subtraction can elevate my career to the next level and improve upon my ideas in infinitely creative ways, I couldn't deny the power and potential this way of thinking has in store.

This power and potential are likely difficult for you to fathom. How could that not be the case with all the mess that's blocking your way? Such a mess might make it hard to see how the subtractive mindset can help you recognize the power of emptiness. A lot of people think that emptiness is a bad thing, but that's not the case. Rather, as Lao Tzu said, we want to carve out some emptiness within us to have enough space to hold whatever we want and find important (Laozi, 2008). It is emptiness, then, that creates what we need to survive and thrive, not anything else.

This book is about seeing emptiness for what it is and, thus, seeing life through a subtractive lens. It's a resource that will help you question all you know, remove unnecessary information, and discover the freedom that rests within simplicity and openness. It provides concrete examples and case studies that will help you explore how subtraction can lead to greater creativity, happiness, productivity, and a sense of purpose. It will show you that less can be so much more than you thought. The journey you're about to embark on may challenge you to go against your cumulative instincts and kick start a transformation. That transformation, though, will require that you get out of your comfort zone. It will require cutting away all the chaff and getting rid of all the clutter around you to make room for life's limitless potential. Only by doing so will you discover how subtraction creates lightness and how it helps you achieve more while carrying less weight.

The road of subtraction—the road least taken—can lead to some beautiful places where you can live a much richer and fuller life. These places are where possibilities are born out of simplicity. To recognize these possibilities, you must reset your mindset and root out the beliefs and habits that no longer serve you. This will require some courage as you will confront your fear of loss in the process. If you can, you've given your self-confidence enough room to grow. The book you're holding will provide the tools, techniques, and strategies necessary to achieve all this and more. As for when to use all these tools and techniques, the best time is right now. All you have to do to begin the magic is turn the page.

A Brief History of Subtraction

Subtraction might sound like a new concept, but it has existed since human history began. As evidence, consider how our Stone Age ancestors used to make fire. Our ancestors used to create fire using friction. To that end, they would chip away at the stone and flint they were using bit by bit until the glowing sparks of embers that rested within them were revealed. Likewise, look at how they created their weapons. Our ancestors crafted their weapons by chiseling stones and shaving off flake after flake to make them sharper. In a way, our ancestors' survival depended on a subtractive mindset.

Subtraction wasn't just a part of survival. It was a part of innovation as well. The purposes for which mathematical subtraction was created are proof enough of this. Mathematical subtraction is the numerical definition of taking things away and reducing their quantity. The Egyptians started using mathematical subtraction while doing things like bookkeeping and commerce some 5000 years ago, as did the Babylonians.

Meanwhile, famed ancient Greek philosophers and mathematicians such as Euclid and Pythagoras made staggering advances in the science of subtraction. These days, addition may be the first mathematical operation we learn in school. But subtraction remains fundamental to accounting, commerce, and other daily transactions. Hence, it's just as important as an addition to our daily lives, if not more so.

Subtraction isn't solely a vital mathematical concept. It's a spiritual one as well. Consider Buddhism. One of the core beliefs of this major belief system is removing illusions and false attachments from your life to achieve enlightenment. Alternatively, take Taoism, another major belief system in the world.