First Principles Thinking for Life

First principles thinking is a tool to help break down complicated problems. You do so by reducing a problem to its most fundamental or basic truth.

So how can we apply first principles to how you live your life?

Your life is driven by agency, your ability to exercise control over the outcome. Your ability to exercise agency determines the quality of your life.

After a lot of deliberation, I have come to the opinion that there are only three things that you exercise control over.

Your mind, your body and your time.

Your life can be reduced to the first principle that these are the only three things in your locus of control.

I am not the first. Aristotle, Confucius and others have spoken about this. Their arguments were anchored in living a virtuous life.

Confucius spoke about ren (仁, benevolence/humaneness), yi (義, righteousness), li (禮, ritual), zhi (智, wisdom), xin (信, integrity) for example.

Mine is simply a practical approach to living.

You can decide where to allocate your attention. You can regulate your physical actions. You can regulate your mind to think and feel what you desire. Of course, all of this is easier said than done.

But it helps if you start.

We measure success by many metrics. Money, material wealth, fame, knowledge and reputation. But these are the outcomes of how you used your time, mind and body.

Sure, luck played a role. But if you have any agency over luck is how you use your mind, body and time.

So what can you do?

Each of us want to make something of our lives. I am yet to meet someone who doesn’t. Obstacles, if any, come if all forms, shapes and manners. The way you respond will determine your life.

The only tools at your disposal are your time, mind and body and what you make of it.

Reach out to me on twitter @rbawri Instagram @riteshbawriofficial and YouTube at www.youtube.com/breatheagain