Internals (virtues) > Externals (outcomes)

Since no completed Todo list does not lead to long term happiness, what does? If we start with Journey and Process > Outcome formula, we will be then facing a question: “what one should be actually working on, what one should devote his life to?”. Stoics have explained this concept very well. One should work on their Internals, on their Virtues. Because your internals can’t be ever taken from you, unlike your externals. You can lose a job, important client, your wealth, or worse you can lose your health or someone close to you in a blink of an eye. All these objects are external objects, objects outside of our circle of control. By focusing on our virtues, we can truly devote our life to wisdom and life long learning that brings so much satisfaction and is not dependent on short term dopamine spikes externals produce. We can truly become rich. Defeat (befriend) envy, jealousy, anxieties, fear, and greed. For the last three years, I have been thinking what those virtues are so they are universal and timeless. So they don’t change with the coming family, with becoming a father or very successful by the conventional measures. Here is the list of virtues I have over the years nourished and settle on:

• Love
  • meaningful relationships
  • ability to forgive
  • we are all one
  • you are exactly where you should be
  • compassion for others and their contexts
  • art of listening and attentiveness
• Courage
  • to not be reactive
  • building awareness
• • to regularly go outside of comfort zone
  • to stand behind your own virtues
  • following what is right
• Temperance
  • less but better
  • learning what enough means
  • to grow stillness
• Craftmenship
  • deliberate practice on a Craft
  • doing what is essential
  • deep work > shallow work
  • learning how to earn to have an opinion
  • building Principles that help the craft
  • understanding the higher purpose
• Manhood
• Justice
  • doing what is right
  • building intuition (void)
  • being a good person (following Manhood)

Each of the points above is a short story on its own. This is my list. List that is finite and brings huge amount of satisfaction, fuel that never runs out. Something what is worth pursuing in this wonderful exciting journey called life.