By nature, I often use more words than are necessary, in the same way a rose of Sharon unfolds too many petals under a late-summer sun. So, in private, I’ve been practicing being more daisy-like, nurturing ideas in pure, but unpretentious terms. Giving voice to the stuff that matters to me, but without all the hot air.

Beyond a deep affection for words, and the thrill that comes in the chemical reaction that erupts when you place two of these magic beans together, this process has challenged me to consider my values, what they mean, and allowed me to distill down to pure signal those values against the din a very noisy world.

I watched Nyad last night, a magnificent film about a woman in her 60s chasing down an impossible feat that evaded her for more than 30 years -- swimming 103 miles from Cuba to Florida, without ever getting out of the water. One of the early problems Diana Nyad faced was how to keep her course straight amidst tossing waves and powerful cross currents. The solution her navigator offered was simple, elegant. From a boom pole which reached out over the water, perpendicular to the boat, he dropped a red rope-light into the water, creating a straight line she could follow, even in the dark.

***Nyad***, cinematography by Claudio Miranda

This, in essence, is what a manifesto represents: a self-defined guideline -- a pure expression of “self help.” But, what a loaded term that’s become. So much of what’s considered self help has devolved into searching beyond ourselves for the answer, in the ideas and methods proposed by someone else. We hope that some guru, philosopher or religious leader will show us their way. Self help, as a genre, I think, gets a bad wrap because it’s not about helping yourself at all, it’s an industry that capitalizes on connecting you with your ineptitude, which makes their answer appear more valuable.

Crafting a manifesto, by contrast, is an authentic act of self-help, but by definition requires publication, because they are public declarations. Mantras can be kept private, but manifestos come alive the moment they get nailed to the wall. So, I gathered my growing list of essential ideas, and put this list up on my Instagram story and on Threads. I asked others what they would add or amend. What resulted from those conversations I'm calling a Minimalist Manifesto.

A Minimalist Manifesto

create > consume
curiosity > dogma
still > busy
walk > run
philosophy > religion
action > credo
inclusion > tribalism
originality > conformity
gratitude > desire
sustain > satisfy
practice > habit
vulnerability > openness
earn > deserve
collaboration > credit
reflect > react
innovate > duplicate
discipline > motivation
study > memorize
acquiesce > force
compromise > posture
defend > offend
adapt > adopt

Nyad refused to quit attempting that impossible swim which held such a prominent place in her psyche. It wasn’t just the currents or the dark she fought, she battled simple problems like getting enough calories to fuel her body, sunburn and chaffing, she tangled with the invisible stings of jellyfish, and the terror of man-eating sharks. Each of these required iteration in how she and her team thought.

So, the feedback I received by sharing was enlightening. I adapted some of the ideas that came in, and made them my own, which is actually how I arrived at the final item on the list -- adapt > adopt. In sharing, I discovered another benefit of putting this out into the world, and the reason I decided to publish this here.

I believe, now more than ever, we need each other, that collaboration > credit.

So, take this list and use what works for you, but not before you give it real thought. Measure it against your values, really consider what the words mean to you, and the person you’re trying to be. Then, adapt the list, engage in a true act of self help.

If you have anything you’d like to add, leave it in the comments below. This manifesto is far from complete, in fact I think it's just beginning as I swim toward the far shore on the other end of this grand life.