Seneca, the renowned philosopher and writer, penned an insightful essay on the topic of the brevity of life. He challenged the conventional notion that life is simply too short and instead argued that it is the amount of time we waste that makes life seem short. He believed that it is not the actual time running out, but the time that we invest without seeing any tangible results or accomplishments.
This idea is not unique to Seneca, as it is also a central theme in the teachings of the ancient Chinese philosopher Laozi. Laozi advocated that it is better to be still and achieve nothing than to put forth a lot of effort and energy, only to fall short of one's goals. This highlights the idea that even if we invest time and energy into something, nothing may remain with us in the end, and all of our efforts may have been for naught.
With the realization that both our lifetime and the actions we take are limited, it is important to ask ourselves what we want to do with the time we have left. At almost 40 years old, half of my life has already passed, if I were to live until 80. Regardless of youth and health, time will continue to march on, and eventually, all of it will run out.
Thus, the urge to not waste time arises, and to avoid doing a lot without seeing any meaningful results or outcomes. But why do people often do a lot and still have nothing to show for it? This is because their actions may not align with their desires or with what life is offering them. I suggest that in order to make the most of our time, it is crucial to be clear about our intentions and to bring purpose to our actions. We can bring value and quality to our lives by controlling our actions and making intentional choices, rather than just going through the motions without any direction or purpose.
While time may seem infinite, the amount we have is finite, and it is up to us to decide how we want to spend it. Life is fleeting and it is important to make the most of the time we have, rather than wasting it on things that do not matter. With this understanding, we can live our lives with purpose and intention, and leave a lasting legacy for future generations to remember us by.
Text inspired by Shi Heng Yi.
