In a world where most of us are infatuated with the idea of ‘ more ‘, let’s take a look at what is less spoken about more.
“No ego can last for long without the need for more. Therefore, wanting keeps the ego alive much more than having. The ego wants to want more than it wants to have. And so the shallow satisfaction of having is always replaced by more wanting.”
This is not a treatise in no more. Or know more. We certainly don’t need more of that stuff.
We, as people, systematically overlook subtractive changes, instead following our instincts to add. There is nothing inherently wrong with adding. In the culture of the day, people like us, do things like this. But if it becomes a default path to improvement, that may be failing to consider a whole class of other opportunities. So, more is NOT equal to better, more often than not.
How about practicing some essentialism? The disciplined practice of less but better. Separating the vital few from the trivial many. Mind you, this is no easy task. To distill and rein in our incorrigibly elastic task list. How will we answer our ego? Or camouflage our insecurities? We find comfort in “keeping our options open”. But having too many options leaves us without direction. Having a few focused options gives our life a clear direction and makes decision-making easier. So, less, NOT more, is the call of the hour.
To quote Holly Black from The Cruel Prince, “Desire is an odd thing. As soon as it’s sated, it transmutes. If we receive golden thread, we desire the golden needle.”
