Want Less
“It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.”
— Seneca
THE OBSTACLE
The wanting comes in waves. Want has an insatiable appitite that is never satisfied, ever. It doesn’t matter how much you earn, how much you own, how much you’ve already achieved — it wants more. More comfort. More money. More status. More upgrades. More affirmation. more, More, MORE. The wants feel urgent, a gravity of it’s own. Convincing. Rational. It promises that life will feel easier, better, more complete once you finally get the next thing. But the cost is often more than we should sacrifice. The pursuit of “more” steals your time and energy. It has you pay your attention to it over the people in your life that matter. Money is the least of what it costs.
THE GIFT AND OPPORTUNITY
We can notice the lies of desire. When we stop, step back, and question the want, you see it clearly: most of what you chase won’t matter at the end of the year — and certainly not at the end of your life. It’s not about wanting less, it’s about wanting what matters. Remember when you were most happy? Remember when you had so little but so much? Remember that what you own ends up owning you. Think ahead to the end of your day and imagine what you will remember as important, what you wish you would have done more of… do THAT! Recalibrate you time, energy, and presence. Put attention in relationships and experiences. Align your life with what you actually value, not what the world tells you to crave. Choose to choose differently. The opportunity is to reclaim your life.
THE PRACTICE OF SELF-MASTERY
Identify one want you have today and name the total cost — time, energy, attention, relationships.
Ask if this want will seem important at the end looking back.
Choose one meaningful pursuit to replace a meaningless chase.
Make a habit of questioning your every want.
