The Minimalists 525 | The Outliers
Feb 2, 2026
Steve Patterson, writer and podcaster known for Patterson in Pursuit, offers philosophical takes on being an outlier and system-level simplification. They explore why being misunderstood hurts. They discuss homeschooling, intellectual friendship, skepticism that paralyzes, and how simplifying culture can reduce chaos.
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Outliers Often Persist, Not Luck Outliers
- Being an outlier often means persisting longer, not being luckier or more gifted.
- Steve Patterson and Joshua Fields Millburn note outliers emerge when they stop following cultural prescriptions.
Sit With The Need To Be Understood
- Needing to be understood becomes a prison; accept dissatisfaction instead.
- Joshua advises sitting with the dissatisfaction instead of demanding others understand you.
Homeschooled And Viewed As Abnormal
- Steve Patterson recounts being homeschooled and constantly treated as abnormal in public.
- That upbringing gave him unique perspectives and adult-level interactions earlier than peers.
