Joseph got up to hit the bathroom. He came back smiling and pronounced, “I’ve figured it out. A useful mantra in those moments is ‘What matters most?’ ” At first, this struck me as somewhat generic, but as I sat with the idea for a while, it eventually emerged as the bottom-line, gut-check precept. When worrying about the future, I learned to ask m

It’s what matters most to you. • Why are we here? • What is the meaning or purpose of life? • What is the relationship between the individual and others? • Where do family, country, and the rest of the world fit in? • What is good, and what is evil? • Is there a higher power, God, or something transcendent, and if so, what impact does this have on

Who do I want to be? And: What path will I take? (Quod vitae sectabor iter.)

• Will this choice propel me toward an inspiring future or will it keep me stuck in the past?


• Will this choice bring me long-term fulfillment or will it bring me short-term gratification?


• Am I standing in my power or am I trying to please another?


• Am I looking for what's right or am I looking for what's wrong?


• Will this choice add to my life force or

That’s an invitation to be thoughtful: What are your choices and in service to what?