The Pursuit of "Stuff"

Everyone likes a good collection of stuff; a prized stamp / coin collection, a never-ending collection of movies, a wall full of family photos and memories, etc…

"Stuff" can be one of the greatest motivators and rewards for a hard days work. Over the years working at a large company it was insightful to see the "stuff" that people purchased. All of this stuff became much more than a collection or hobby, it became a way of life for an insane number of people.

After deciding to take a career break it's disturbing to take a look at how much "stuff" has accumulated in my life over the years. Purchases intended to be an immediate gratification have come with a significant longterm consequence. Not all of it is bad but in totality it's an overwhelming task to get back to basics.

One way to illustrate this is the Stuff Inversion Paradox;

Early in a career accumulation of "stuff" is a sign of success, however later in that career liberation from "stuff" is a greater sign of success

It's easy to say that "stuff" is solely material possessions but candidly it's the immaterial "stuff" that makes the most difference.

The amount of stress often increases at an accelerated rate the longer you stay on a career path. If you're not careful those kinds of immaterial stuff will take over every portion of your life.

The Silicon Valley is well known for the pursuit of new startups, homes, cars, gadgets, social circles, et al… but I think the greatest pursuit is to have less "stuff" in your life :)

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Topher