“Art is long, life is short.” – Hippocrates
The phrase art is long and life is short is a proverb that suggests that works of art last much longer than human lives. There is so much knowledge to acquire that a lifetime is not sufficient and good work takes a long time to accomplish.
Most people die having never maximised their potential or self-actualised mainly because they directly chase happiness. Human science studies have revealed over and over that true and sustainable happiness is not found outside of us, but within us. It is this misconception about happiness that causes so much pain and eventually leads to depression.
Living a misplaced life, the life of chasing “elusive happiness” by filling a void in our lives and attempting to fill it with things like money, possessions and accolades is an indication that we are lost.
In the book, Man’s search for himself, the author, Rollo May, states: “The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice; it is conformity, people wanting to be the same as everybody else.” This is one of the reasons why we miss out on true happiness, we want to be liked.
If you really want to bring the element to life, we need to decrease conformity. Don’t just do what the majority does even if it doesn’t make sense to you. You need to develop the same level of non-conforming courage, which Ralph Waldo Emerson called self-reliance.
Yes, for your non-conformity, society will mercilessly beat you up and whip you with displeasure. Society doesn’t like non-conformists. As human beings, we want to be comfortable and liked, no one wants to be challenged.
For you to live a happy life, you need to have the audacity to dream of what is possible and not conform.
