"…tranquility…comes when you stop caring what they say, think, or do. Only what you do."
- Marcus Aurelius
There is some change happening in my life. A new job, a kid left for college, and a few other things that add complexity and a touch of anxiety. Most of this change is good, some of it not. All of it is part of life.
Wrestling with a few thoughts and some internal disturbance, I went back to re-read Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. Often, it's not the books you read that make a difference in your life. It's the ones you re-read. This passage stood out.
"If you seek tranquility, do less. More accurately, do what is essential. Which brings the double satisfaction: do less, better."
Do Less, Better
He is, if nothing, concise. Here's what I take away.
"Do Less" - means simplifying your life and removing the unessential. Complexity adds stress, simplicity removes it.
"Better" - by doing less, you have the space to focus on the essentials and get better.
He goes on,
"Because most of what we say and do is not essential. If you can eliminate it, you'll have more time and more tranquility. Ask yourself at every moment, "Is this necessary?"
So. Do less, better.
I imagine the old emperor, the last of the "five good emperors," evaluating everything through this lens. Every conversation, every piece of food on his plate, and even every thought. Is this necessary? Is it good? For the unfamiliar, he's writing these notes to himself in his journal. He closes this passage with more advice to himself,
"But we need to eliminate unnecessary assumptions as well. To eliminate the unnecessary actions."
Much of what we think is both unessential and often untrue. We spend time on unnecessary thoughts, assumptions, and perceptions. We add stress, work, and worry because of the stories we create. I was creating stories. What does this person think, what does that mean, and what will happen if this doesn't happen?
Whether those thoughts were true or not doesn't matter - they were a waste of time and energy. The more we try to do, the less we do well. Mastery comes through focus. For me, the most essential task is to master my thoughts. Keep the essential and toss the unessential (and untrue) because, ultimately, my thoughts are the one thing I control. Those thoughts lead to my actions and ultimately who I become.
I hope you're good.
Take care, bye.
-Kelly
The Double Satisfaction