A first principle is a tautology – a truth that is self-evident, which we end up proving in the very attempt to disprove it.

First principles are the solid foundations upon which everything else can be conceived. Which also means that all theories and practices other than first principles are at best a shaky foundation.

When we live our lives with a solid foundation, we do well.  There will still be the expected and unexpected storms in life, but we are grounded and unshaken. When we live our lives on a shaky foundation, sometimes we do well, sometimes we don’t. That should give you a clue about the foundation that you are personally living from.

Solid foundations increase resilience, provide security, and enable creative action. Shaky foundations promote insecurity, desperation, and a false sense of entitlement. They might work in the short term, but life inevitable catches up. When that eventually happens, there is little you can do. The best time to fix the roof is when it is sunny.

So, what’s the solid foundation for your life? It is in accurately understanding who you are, what life is, and how you relate with it – because that pretty much sums up everything you will ever experience while you’re alive.

There are three first principles for life – And by life, I mean the only thing you know and everything you know. And these might sound obvious, because they are, but please pay attention to their significance.

1)     You have the capacity for aliveness.

2)     You have the capacity for awareness.

3)     You have the capacity for thoughts and feelings.

Please read that again, slowly, and acknowledge the truth that they are pointing to within yourself. Instead of looking at them as a concept, verify them for yourself experientially.

If you do so, you will realize that these are really the only three things you have as a human being. And these are the only three things that you can play with in life. And anything you want must be achieved through these three things.

My invitation for you is to sit with this through the week, and see what fresh thinking comes to you as you do that.