Dear friend,

How much is enough, and at what point do we know when to “settle”?

Life is about making decisions. Where to go, what to do, what to eat, who to spend our time with, what clothes to purchase, what car to drive, what device to buy, or how to work.

Making decisions is hard. I know that personally, I have “paralysis by analysis” when I have too many choices to make.

For example, when I wanted to buy a new laptop after it got stolen, I was overwhelmed by choices. There were too many laptops to choose from, all with different features and specifications. I had to choose between a Mac and PC. When I chose a Mac, I had the choice between an 11 inch, 12 inch, 13 inch, or 15 inch. I had to choose between the MacBook air, the “MacBook”, and the MacBook Pro. No matter what decision I made in terms of buying, I had “buyer’s remorse.” I wanted the “perfect” laptop, but one model was either too heavy, or not fast enough. The screen was either too small, or not sharp enough. I must have bought and returned at least 4 different models, until finally “settling” on a 13 inch MacBook Pro. Yet I still regretted it, because of the heavy weight.

The problem that I face is that I seek perfection in my stuff, devices, and my cameras. In truth, no perfect product exists. The way I’ve been able to make better purchasing decisions in life (with less regret) is aiming to buy stuff that isn’t perfect, but “good enough.” Specifically, 80% “good enough” according to my own ruler.

Instead, I should be seeking perfection for my mind, not my devices.

So each day I try to take away from vices in my mind. Each day I seek to be less covetous, less envious, less dissatisfied with my stuff, less angry, less petty, less critical of others, and less selfish. I endeavor to become more grateful, loving, generous, and kind each day.

Life is a struggle. Life is a battle. The ancients said that life is more like wrestling than dancing. I agree. We will constantly be distracted, tempted, and lured by all these glittering things in the world. But never forget, that which glitters the brightest, shatters the easiest.

Let us be content with our stuff, but seek perfection for our minds.

Be strong,
Eric