the rules we live by: spare keys

For myriad reasons both secular and spiritual, we strive to live by a set of rules, a group of key tenets, that will best serve the overall good.

But what of the less obvious of these behaviors? What of the aspects of daily life that are not generally seen, obviously recognized or otherwise reinforced? These can be equally if not more important for lives of integrity and productivity.

Do thoughts and self-regard remain humble in the wake of praise? Is gratitude present no matter how hard the work, how deserved the reward? Is conduct that recognizes and embraces others a natural part of every day, of each interaction?

These are among the keys to lives that make a meaningful difference, not spare behaviors that offer little by way of concrete contributions. On the contrary, those aspects of life that draw little attention can be among the most gratifying. And money need not be the root of all evil, despite how that cliché continues to thrive in practice. Read The New York Times’s personal finance columnist Ron Lieber’s take on money and modesty, patience and perseverance.

What we do when no one is looking can be far more revealing than when the cameras are turned on, the people are watching, the actions are scrutinized. Must we insert ourselves into situations so overtly? Ultimately, everything is unlocked and laid bare; how we account for our actions can either be a source of stress or peace. Why not simply choose the latter?

confronting consequences: the glass sealing

Perhaps the report doesn’t need those few extra pages, or the annual checkup can wait a few more months, or you’re sure the car can go a few thousand more miles before its oil change, or the complicated home project is almost good enough, or… or… or.

It’s not unusual to become tired in what can be a difficult economy or with the kaleidoscopic range of daily obligations, to feel that just making it through the most urgent priorities is enough, to leave uncompromising thoroughness for another, more doable day.

And yet there are always consequences. To cut corners is to make it through the day but not the month. Anything unfinished, or completed in a substandard way, will inevitably cause far more problems down the line than embracing the moment with determination and discipline—and yes, discomfort and difficulty. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen, for one, refuses to compromise the Fed’s independence and will not allow it to become politicized, regardless of the pushback. Special interests, regardless of their mode of transport, have learned that they have no choice but to take a back seat to the overall good.

Take extra time if necessary and spend those extra calories, but make sure that all the windows—in your work, your life, your home, your relationships—are sealed. Avoid the kind of cracks that will invariably come back to cause drafts, in fact gusts, that erode and corrode. Let “It’s good enough” remain a phrase for the lazy. Accept “It’ll do for now” only on the eighth day of the week.

A mindset. A way of life. Call it what you will, but true conscientiousness allows no compromise and cannot be broken; warm rewards await.