Credo
The Three Pillars
Think Clearly
Clarity is the foundation of effective action. In a world of noise, distraction, and misinformation, the ability to cut through complexity and see reality as it is—not as we wish it to be—is a superpower.
Clear thinking requires:
- Intellectual honesty: The willingness to confront uncomfortable truths
- Discipline: The practice of focused attention and rigorous analysis
- Humility: The recognition that our perceptions are always incomplete
This principle runs through all my work, from the practical Stoicism of The Stoic CGM to the historical analysis of On Proportion. It’s about seeing the world with precision and acting with intention.
Live Deliberately
Deliberate living means aligning actions with values, not impulses. It’s the practice of conscious choice over automatic reaction, of purpose over habit.
Living deliberately involves:
- Agency: Taking responsibility for our choices
- Proportion: Balancing competing priorities with wisdom
- Commitment: Following through on what matters most
This principle is at the heart of Unstuck and A Life Made Whole—books that help readers move from passive existence to active, intentional living.
Love Intensely
Love, in this context, means connection with intensity. It’s the recognition that relationships—with people, with ideas, with the world—are what give life meaning and power.
Loving fully requires:
- Intensity: The commitment to engage fully
- Presence: The discipline of being fully engaged
- Vulnerability: The courage to connect authentically
This principle emerges in Misaligned and Letters—works that explore the human connections that shape our lives and our understanding of the world.
The Credo in Practice
These three principles form a cycle:
- Think clearly to understand what’s true
- Live deliberately to act on that understanding
- Love fully to connect that action to meaning
Together, they create a framework for a life well-lived—a life of purpose, connection, and continuous growth.