Philosophy · Intentional Living
Minimalism
Personal recommendation by Marshall Delpé. Not made by Marshalldelpe.com.
Minimalism
Philosophy · Intentional Living·
Own less stuff, and suddenly the stuff stops owning you.
What it does: Removes excess—objects, commitments, subscriptions, mental clutter—so that attention, money, and energy flow toward what actually matters rather than what accumulated by default.
Who it's for: Anyone who feels stretched thin by too many things, too many obligations, or too many decisions, and wants to build a life with more clarity and less noise.
Why I use it: Minimalism is not about owning nothing. It is about owning intentionally. Less to maintain means more time. Fewer obligations means more capacity for the ones that matter. Fewer decisions means less fatigue for the ones that count. It is the foundation of any system that scales—because complexity is the enemy of consistency. Joshua Fields Millburn, Ryan Nicodemus, and The Minimalists have the clearest public articulation of the philosophy. James Clear's habit writing touches the same nerve.
Tradeoffs: It requires ongoing auditing—physical items, digital subscriptions, social commitments. There is social friction when you start declining things people expect you to accumulate. The word itself has been diluted into an aesthetic rather than a practice.
Alternatives: Essentialism by Greg McKeown applies the same logic specifically to time and professional priorities. Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport applies it to technology and attention. Either is a narrower and more immediately actionable starting point.
This is a personal recommendation, not a paid promotion.
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Read it so you can spot the person at work who already did.
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Who it's for: Anyone who works with people — in a hospital, a company, a negotiation or an investment deal — and wants to understand the unspoken dynamics at play. Especially useful if you've ever been blindsided by office politics or someone else's agenda.
Why I use it: I read it as a field guide to human behaviour rather than a playbook. It helps me recognise manipulation when I see it, protect my reputation, and stay calm instead of reacting. Laws like "Never outshine the master", "Guard your reputation with your life" and "Say less than necessary" have saved me from mistakes at work. It pairs well with Munger's psychology of human misjudgment, which you'll find in Poor Charlie's Almanack.
Tradeoffs: Some of the laws are ruthless, and following them literally can cost you trust and relationships. It's long and repetitive in places, and it's best read defensively — to understand power — not as permission to be cold or deceptive. The stories are selective history, not rigorous research.
Alternatives: The Laws of Human Nature and Mastery by Robert Greene, How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie (the warmer approach), Influence by Robert Cialdini (the research-backed version).
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The Art of War
Book · Sun Tzu·
Ancient battle advice that works surprisingly well on salary negotiations.
What it does: An ancient Chinese treatise on military strategy, traditionally credited to the general Sun Tzu, written around the 5th century BC. In 13 short chapters it covers planning, positioning, deception, intelligence and when to fight — and when not to. Its core idea: the best victory is the one won without fighting.
Who it's for: Anyone dealing with competition or conflict — in business, negotiation, investing, sports or office politics — who wants timeless principles about preparation, patience and knowing the terrain.
Why I use it: It is short enough to reread every year, and every reread lands differently. "Know the enemy and know yourself" maps directly onto investing and staying within your circle of competence, and the emphasis on avoiding unnecessary battles is a reminder that the strongest position is often the one where you never have to fight. It pairs naturally with The 48 Laws of Power.
Tradeoffs: The aphorisms are compressed and sometimes cryptic, so translation quality matters a lot. It is easy to over-apply military metaphors to everyday life, and the original is about war, not business — the connections take reflection to make.
Alternatives: The 48 Laws of Power and The 33 Strategies of War by Robert Greene, The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi, and On War by Carl von Clausewitz.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend what I actually use.