If you seek tranquillity, do less

As I often note to people who ask “are you busy?”, I am “always active, never busy”. This is both a privilege of time of life (as an example, my three sons are grown and I have no day to day family responsibilities) but also a conscious choice, and one guided by Marcus Aurelius, one of the greatest Roman Stoics and one specific teaching he gave us.

In his truly vital book, “Meditations”, essentially a journal of short thoughts and sayings to live by, the lesson I refer to, oft translated to “if you seek tranquillity, do less”, is more fully represented by:

“Most of what we say and do is not essential, if you can eliminate it, you’ll have more time, and more tranquillity. Ask yourself at every moment, ‘Is this necessary?’”

Marcus Aurelius, in “Meditations”

Let me explain how that applies to me and my chosen area of client work. I work with a select number of leaders of businesses and organisations, to support them to make what to them is a “Massive Impact”. Those leaders who choose to work with me are those who identify with the words on my home page: You are already a visionary, successful and making a difference, yet you remain hungry to make an even bigger “dent in the universe” for yourself and your organisation. They choose me for my ability to listen deeply then, together, to arrive at “authentic…