Keep It Simple

There are many benefits to pursuing a life of virtue. But one of the benefits of a life well lived might not be quite so obvious.

Simplicity.

When we fail to hold ourselves to a high standard, we add unnecessary complexity to our lives.

Marcus Aurelius suggested we take the "shortest route" through life, the simple route of goodness:

“Take the shortest route, the one that nature planned—to speak and act in the healthiest way. Do that, and be free of pain and stress, free of all calculation and pretension.”

Living a life of honesty, integrity, and goodness makes life straightforward and uncomplicated.

These “old-fashioned” values relieve you of the complexity that can be caused by their counterparts. Dishonesty forces you to cover your tracks. Lack of integrity lands you in tricky places that can be difficult to extract yourself from. Lack of goodness erodes trust and creates animosity.

The Stoic philosopher Seneca shared this sentiment of the beautiful simplicity of goodness:

“Devotion to what is right is simple, devotion to what is wrong is complex and admits of infinite variations.”

Choosing to do the next right thing keeps things simple. Failing to do so, choosing to do the “wrong” thing, well, that’s when things get tricky. We can be fairly confident in the results of doing the right thing. But when we do the wrong thing, things get unpredictable. We create “infinite variations” that we have to navigate.

Though it's challenging to hold yourself to high standards, the reward is very much worth the effort. A simple life. Free of pain and stress. Free of calculation. Free of pretension.

What a relief!

As you journey through life, choose the shortest path. Speak and act in the “healthiest” way. Do the next “right” thing.

Isn’t life complex enough?

Keep it simple.