Introduction
Life can be complex at times. We are often faced with questions such as: What is true? What is real? What matters? What is right or wrong? How should I live my life? How should I act? These questions are important, yet difficult to answer.
There are many religious and philosophical sources from which to learn. Still, I want to attempt to create a clear and memorable starting point of my own. The goal is not to provide final answers, but to begin somewhere and allow greater complexity and nuance to emerge along the way. With that in mind, I would like to introduce the following principle:
“Contribute to Beauty”
Three simple words with a strong foundation of meaning. Let’s take a closer look at each word, and why something so simple can provide guidance in life.
“Contribute” implies the need for an agent to act toward a goal. You, as a person, must undertake action in order to contribute to something. Logical questions follow: What should I work toward? And how much effort does it take for me to truly contribute?
In this case, the answer to the first question is beauty, which I will explain later. The second question is more subtle, but can be illustrated with a simple metaphor: give a seed water once, and it will not flower. The degree to which you must contribute is dictated by the goal you envision. This brings us to the word “to.”
“To” provides direction. It is about taking aim at a goal. There are many possible directions and many ways to pursue meaningful ends, but progress requires choosing a direction and beginning to move. It is not the direction, but a direction. The emphasis is on aiming, not on perfection. In this belief system, that aim is beauty.
“Beauty,” understood in an Aristotelian sense, is that which allows a human being to flourish according to their nature. You seek what inspires you, what fills you with awe, and you act in ways that contribute to it. This framing offers a practical way to understand beauty as an end goal. To simplify an abstract concept, three criteria help distinguish what does and does not contribute to beauty:
- It evokes awe.
- It inspires action.
- It facilitates personal flourishing.
What is and is not beautiful remains open to debate, as beauty is partly subjective.
Taken together, contribute to beauty offers both orientation and purpose, but a principle only becomes meaningful when it can be applied. Understanding its language and intent is a necessary first step; the next is to examine how it functions in practice. What does it mean to act in accordance with this principle on a daily basis? How can it guide decisions, habits, and priorities? The following section explores the mechanics of the principle and how it can be put into action.
The mechanics of the principle and its application
In the previous section, we discussed the abstract idea behind the principle of contributing to beauty, and explored how beauty can function as a higher goal worth pursuing. To move forward, this section focuses on practical application by outlining four steps:
- Identify what is beauty.
- Identify a (higher) goal.
- Identify the small steps.
- Identify how to contribute.
Identify what is beauty
What motivates a person differs from one individual to another. Using the previously described criteria, it becomes possible to look for the things that allow a person to flourish. For some, this is evident from childhood, such as a love for music, art, engineering, culture, teaching, or helping others. For others, this is less obvious and more difficult to uncover.
What truly evokes awe and inspires action is not an easy question to answer. This is precisely why the principle of contributing to beauty is so accessible. To contribute to beauty, one must also aim at something. That aim may not yet be the final destination, but it introduces action and movement in a direction that feels generally meaningful or desirable. Understanding oneself or discovering a deeper sense of purpose may take a long time. In the meantime, it is better to explore what you like and gradually discover what you love.
Identify a goal
By identifying what beauty looks like to you, you either recognize what you already love or begin to form a general sense of direction. But what, exactly, is the goal?
For example, a love for wildlife by itself offers limited direction. Suppose that the preservation, continuation, and flourishing of nature form the intrinsic motivation behind this love. That is what beauty represents in this case. The next step is to answer the how question: How can I contribute to the flourishing of wildlife?
There may be many valid answers, but for the sake of practicality, one clear option could be to become a wildlife conservationist. This presents a tangible goal. One that can be worked toward. The peak of the mountain comes into view; the question now is how to reach it.
Identify the small steps
With a goal identified, the focus shifts to the steps required to reach it. Continuing with the example of becoming a wildlife conservationist, the next questions arise naturally. What is required? Skills, knowledge, and experience. How are those obtained? Through education, fieldwork, and exposure to the discipline. Why would someone be admitted into such a field? Motivation, curiosity, and demonstrated effort. That might involve speaking with people already working in the field, developing a deep interest in animals, learning their Latin names, watching relevant videos, and reading foundational literature on conservation.
Have all these things already been done? Probably not. But they are things that can be aimed for. And, more importantly, things that can be started today.
Start contributing
Contribution does not begin once everything is known or mastered. It begins the moment commitment and effort begin. Important discoveries are sometimes made by interns; overlooked details are noticed by fresh and inexperienced eyes. Every small effort carries the potential to matter. Over time, these efforts may become the very means through which one contributes to beauty.
