The 3 words that I live by.

On the whole, it means to live simply. Don’t buy things for the sake of filling empty space. Don’t occupy time for the sake of busyness. Don’t try to run away from yourself, because at the end you will only wish you hadn’t.

It’s about doing forfeiting short-term quantity for quality. I am all about exploring, but slowly and extensively. I mentioned wanting to travel the world, as a slow nomad. I like exploring different sports, one or two at a time. Most recently, I’ve been reading fewer books at a time, so I can live in one world without being interrupted by other narratives.

At a deeper level, this is about being choosy about the content I let into my life. It’s not about traveling to as many countries as I can, but about surrendering myself to a totally foreign space. I might not read as many books this year, but it’s about what I did read. Did I learn from these stories? Did I enjoy them?

Another way this phrase comes in handy is when I’m faced with a difficult choice. When in doubt, resort to my values. Yes, there are many things I want to do, many choices I could make. But the one that I most value is the one I will make, because my values won’t fail me.

I could think of many more examples, but I’ve said enough. The 3 words are essentially a simple reminder of my values. They can mean anything I want them to, so long as they remind me of my core values when I’m in conflict.