WORK

A Subtractive Philosophy of Life

Imagine standing in front of a big block of marble. To the casual observer, it’s just a heavy, inert mass—cold and unremarkable. But to the sculptor, it holds infinite potential.

Do they pile on more clay?

No.

They reveal it's beauty by chipping away at everything that doesn’t belong.

This, I’ve come to realize, is the missing piece in most advice. We tend to treat our goals as problems to solve by addition—by adding more tools, more habits and more willpower. 

We assume that doing more is equal to achieving more.

But think about this:

• In systems thinking, efficiency comes from reducing friction and optimizing flow.

• In the law of least effort; systems follow the path that require the least energy to reach a goal.

• In flow theory, optimal experience happens when challenge and skill are balanced in a distraction-free environment.

Yet—traditional productivity advice pushes you in the opposite direction. It tells you to:

1. Add more to your plate.

2. Push through fatigue and overwhelm.

3. Rely on willpower to resist distractions.

4. Overcomplicate your day with tools and hacks.

The subtractive approach is different. Instead of adding, you:

1. Remove time traps.

2. Curate your environment to align with your goals.

3. Remove distractions so right action doesn’t require willpower.

4. Find the minimal effective method or system to maintain momentum.

So what's the logic behind this?

It's because your biggest enemy isn’t a lack of time, talent, or ambition.

Whether you’re born into privilege or hardship, everyone wakes up with the same 24-hour day. What separates who thrives from the rest is their ability to take control of what they can: their mental, physical and emotional environment.

But why does this work?

Because it removes the element of willpower, which is unreliable and a huge mental energy cost.

I’ve seen this play out in my own life.

• When I stopped spending time with toxic people, I made better choices effortlessly.

• When I removed junk food from my home, eating well became my default.

• When I swapped scrolling for reading, I started learning.

Subtraction works because it removes the friction of decision-making fatigue. It makes the right choice the obvious choice.

WELLBEING

Automate Your Wellbeing

Most people overcomplicate health. They throw themselves into fad diets, extreme workouts, or neurotic biohacking—paths requiring constant vigilance. 

But what if I told you that healthy choices shouldn’t be an uphill battle. That health is nothing more than returning to your natural state. It’s about making the right things easy and the wrong things inconvenient.

Think about it. When you’re hungry, tired, or stressed, your brain doesn’t want to debate its impulses. It wants the quickest solution. It wants what it wants now, which is why most people struggle resisting what’s in front of them.

And that's exactly where we’ll apply the fix.

Start in the Kitchen

It’s 7 PM.

You’ve had a long day at work. You open the pantry, and it’s a minefield of chips, cookies, and other regrettable snacks. Maybe you resist tonight. But let’s be real: as soon as you’ve exhausted your willpower, you’re going down.

Hard.

Now picture this.

You open the pantry, and the junk is gone. Instead, there’s food options that are both satisfying and nourishing. Some beef you slow-cooked earlier in the week. A savory bone broth. Hand cut fries, fried in tallow. Sourdough. Grass fed butter. Eggs. Raw honey. Raw Cacao. Blueberries. In this case, there’s nothing to resist. Nothing to overcome.

To make this happen you need to create a kitchen staples list. These are non-negotiables that you keep stocked at all times. Depending on your food preferences this is up to you.

For example, heres mine:

• Red meat (cheap cuts like chuck roll, perfect for slow cooking)

• Beef bones (for broth)

• Eggs and butter

• Sourdough bread

• Raw honey

• Frozen or fresh berries

• Oranges

• Potatoes and white rice

• Garlic, onions, and ginger

• Raw cacao

Optimize Your Circadian

Bad lighting is stealing your health, and you don’t even realize it.

Harsh blue light from LEDs and screens disrupts your circadian rhythm, stresses your cells, and drains your energy. And yet, most people just shrug it off, ignore the problem, and wonder why they feel like crap every morning.

The fix? Overhaul your home lighting.

It’s a simple project with massive payoffs: better sleep, more energy, and a body that actually runs how it’s supposed to.

Depending on your budget there are several ways to do this. But it all comes down to minimizing unnatural blue light and replacing it with warm, calming options that support your natural rhythms.

• Candles for evenings

• A sunset lamp for winding down

• Amber lightbulbs for general use

• Red-spectrum lightbulbs for bedrooms

• A projector instead of a TV (cuts blue light exposure in half)

Flip the switch, and your lighting will work for you—not against you. Wake up energized, sleep like a pro, and finally feel like your body’s on your side.

Don’t Skip the Foundations

There’s a temptation to leap straight to the flashy stuff—supplements, apps, tracking devices. But here’s the thing: none of that will help if the basics aren’t in place.

Stock your pantry with food that energizes you & change your lightbulbs. These are small, boring changes that pay off massively.

WONDER

The Inevitability of Art

I believe that the pinnacle of the human experience is found in the act of creation. There is no more obvious god-given, uniquely human gift than this.

If you think you're not the creative type, I'd ask you to reconsider. Creativity is broader than you may think. Everyone is indefinitely immersed in creation in every moment through their thoughts, actions and being.

Creativity is inescapable.

This quote from Rick Rubin's book, The Creative Act, exemplifies this point well.

In other words, true art transcends technical skill or aesthetics. Instead, it arises from a deep alignment with your authentic self. Art isn’t about the medium. It’s not tied to a brush, a stage, or a camera. It's an emanation of who you are and your unique inclinations. Anything can be turned into art.

For instance, try this exercise. Fill in the blank below with any act you can think of:

Notice there’s no limits to what can be considered art.

• The Art of Cooking.

• The Art of Running.

• The Art of Knitting.

• The Art of Parenting.

• The Art of Conversation.

• The Art of Problem-Solving.

Art isn't reserved for artists; it's embedded in how you live. The way you fold your clothes, the care you put into a meal, or how you listen to a friend—all of it can be art if done with intention and authenticity.

Experiment. Play. The process itself is the point.

Art is a state of being. It’s already within you, waiting for the chance to show itself. It’s a conversation between you and life itself.

And the beauty you create? It only needs to matter to you.

That's it for this one.

Hope you found something that clicked. If you’re not already— follow me on X.

Until next week.

—JM