To ask, every day, "What matters, in the end?" is to create the possibility of differentiated choice, the potential to overthrow the tyranny of our history, so as to honour something in us that has always been there, waiting for our courage.
— James Hollis
To ask, every day, "What matters, in the end?" is to create the possibility of differentiated choice, the potential to overthrow the tyranny of our history, so as to honour something in us that has always been there, waiting for our courage. — James Hollis
James Hollis recommends asking of every significant decision in life: ‘Does this choice
Oliver Burkeman • Four Thousand Weeks
Whoever we are, wherever we are—what matters is our choices. What are they? How will we evaluate them? How will we make the most of them? Those are the questions life asks us, regardless of our station. How will you answer?
Ryan Holiday • The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living: Featuring new translations of Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius
James Hollis recommends asking of every significant decision in life: “Does this choice diminish me, or enlarge me?”
Oliver Burkeman • Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals
So why do you do what you do? That’s the question you need to answer. Stare at it until you can. Only then will you understand what matters and what doesn’t.
Ryan Holiday • Ego is the Enemy: The Fight to Master Our Greatest Opponent
[Are we] related to something infinite or not? That is the telling question of [one's] life . . . If we understand and feel that here in this life we already have a link with the infinite, desires and attitudes change. In the final analysis, we count for something only because of the essential we embody, and if we do not embody that, life is wasted
... See moreJames Hollis • Hauntings: Dispelling the Ghosts Who Run Our Lives
In the end all that matters is:
How much joy did you have during your time here on earth?
Optimize towards that.
Which is why each of us needs to sit down and examine ourselves. What do we stand for? What do we believe to be essential and important? What are we really living for? Deep in the marrow of our bones, in the chambers of our heart, we know the answer.
Ryan Holiday • Stillness Is the Key
Because what makes life mean something is purpose. A goal. The battle, the struggle—even if you don’t win it.