Setting the table & eating the meat
Every activity we choose has a telos, or an end. It’s the reason we choose to do one thing instead of another. Sometimes the reason is a result we hope for that comes after the activity. And sometimes the reason is to be found in the meaningfulness of the activity itself.
The first group is goal-oriented. If we could hit that goal without the activity we would do it. Wouldn’t it be nice if our taxes were already paid? But a second group of activities are things we choose to do because they are intrinsically rewarding. Do we kiss our children because of the consequence? Is it because we want them to love us more? Or, rather, is it because it is part of our vision of a good life?
Now, what kind of life would forever be doing activities as a preparation for a good life? ‘Tis a miserable toil to forever be cooking the food and setting the table but to be without a mouth to eat. It is clear that without a correct prioritization of the activities in our lives we could easily be misled into over engaging in the activities that are only instrumental. Imagine forever filling your bank account and never spending a cent!
Practice: Make a list of 10 distinct activities you did this week. Note which were done for a result that lies outside the activity and which were done for their own intrinsic meaningfulness? You can figure this out by asking yourself which activities would you rather delegate or fast-forward vs. which activities would you prefer to do yourself or linger on.
For each instrumental action: articulate what final good you are looking for. For each meaningful action: articulate what aspect of it felt meaningful.
I have to say I keep on coming back to this one, its key!