The Deliberate Art of Subtraction Adds Meaning to Life

Approach life with a renewed sense of purpose

Thomas Oppong
4 min readJan 26, 2023

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Photo: Matthew Henry/Burst

Life can quickly become too cluttered and full of internal and external noise when we don’t take a step back and assess what is truly important.

Subtraction is a way of becoming more aware of our habits and what we do and don’t need to live a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

When you subtract from your life, you can make space for what you truly value and create a more focused style.

Lao Tzu, a Chinese Taoist philosopher, once said, “To attain knowledge, add things every day. To attain wisdom, remove things every day.”

By stripping away the non-essential, we can become more in tune with our values and priorities. It can help us to make more intentional choices about how we spend our time and energy, leading to a greater sense of fulfilment and satisfaction.

Subtraction creates more space in your life. This can be physical space, such as decluttering a home, or mental space, by letting go of negative thoughts or limiting habits and beliefs.

The process can lead to lightness and freedom, allowing you to approach life with a renewed sense of purpose and positivity.

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Thomas Oppong

Making the wisdom of great thinkers instantly accessible. As seen on Forbes, Inc. and Business Insider. For my popular essays, go here: https://thomasoppong.com