Essentials for Tranquility
If you seek tranquility, do less.
Or rather… Do what’s essential.
What the logos or duty of a social being requires, and in the requisite way.
Which brings a double satisfaction:
To do less, and do good better.
Because most of what we say and do is not essential.
If you eliminate the inessential, you’ll have more time, and more tranquillity.
Ask yourself at every moment,
“Is this necessary?”
—
Marcus Aurelius
From the Gregory Hays translation of Meditations, with my (hopefully legal and inoffensive) personal touch.