First Principles

We choose to do some tasks in a day. These tasks come from our goals and purpose for ourselves and our world. The real question is, do we question these tasks? We are primarily interested in what to do and how to do it. We rarely ask the question of why.

You may say, of course, the why is clear, and so we do it. Say, for e.g., if one wants to reduce weight, that person will exercise daily. That's the why. But I am not looking at it the other way. Why exercise? Why a particular exercise? Why daily? These questions we rarely ask. Some new trend, a new fad, tells us to do something, and we follow. It's essential to build on first principles, the fundamental truths of things, to develop tasks and activities. In the weight loss example, the fundamental principle is the earn-and-burn ratio. We need to earn less fat but eat the right things and burn more by exercising.

Coming from first principles needs work, needs thinking. But if done, it will give results, and it will give sustainable results.