Last week we talked about the unexamined life and its drawbacks, and the perks of fully engaging life through reflection and examination. This week I would like to talk about one principle that can help us to live life more fully and can help us to examine our individual lives more effectively. This principle is the principle of consistent living. The consistency spoken of here is between our beliefs and our actions. When these two do not agree, two parts of our being conflict, and cause stress for those who value sincerity and honesty. Living with consistency between our beliefs and our actions is a corollary to living the examined life. If we are to examine ourselves, we must examine all of ourselves: not just our actions, but the motives behind them as well. I can see two ways in which this can play out in our lives. First, that by clearly defining our beliefs ahead of time, they can help us to more clearly see how to act in difficult situations. Second, by examining our actions, we can see how our formal beliefs jar with our practical beliefs, oftentimes causing inner turmoil and confusion in our lives.
The principle of consistent living helps our lives when confronted with difficult situations. By clearly defining what you believe on various topics, especially difficult ones that stress you out or cause conflicts with others, you have already taken the first step to resolving any conflicts that arise, either internal or external and are one step closer to overcoming the situation. For example, in my own life, the issue has arisen in my friend group, of whether or not to give money to homeless people. The first time a homeless person asked me for money, I did not know what to do, for I had not clearly defined in my mind what I believed on the subject. I knew that I was not supposed to because they often would not put any money I gave them to good use, but I still felt what any other person would feel, the desire to help another human being. What would have been helpful in this situation, would have been a defined and informed position on the subject. If I had weighed the pros and cons, done research on the likelihood of my money being put to good use, and considered alternatives to just giving away money, I would have been light-years closer to knowing what to do in this situation. The principle of consistent living requires the defining of beliefs on issues and is helpful in taking advantage of every situation in life and using it for good.
The second way that practicing consistent living is helpful to living life fully, is by exposing areas where our formal beliefs jar with our practical beliefs. A defining of terms is necessary here. Formal beliefs are those beliefs to which we thoughtfully (or not-so-thoughtfully), consciously, and outwardly ascribe. These include, but are not limited to, religious affiliations, moral standings, and social norms. Our practical beliefs are those from which we act, either consciously or, more often, unconsciously. They range from basic beliefs (if I sit down in this chair, it will hold me) to complex beliefs about complicated things (there is a God). Formal and practical beliefs often look the same and cover the same areas, but it is when they differ, that issues arise. If you say you love the sweater your mother bought you for Christmas, but you never wear it, your formal beliefs clash with your practical beliefs, for your actions reveal that you actually do not love your mother’s gift, or else you would wear it more often. For a more complex example, if you ascribe to a religion, but rarely (or never) practice any of the of the key components of that religion such as prayer, meditation, or reading of scriptures, do you actually believe any of the key claims of that religion, or do you just like being associated with that belief system? The principle of consistent living can help to expose disjunctions between our formal and practical beliefs and help us to live life more fully on purpose.
One final thought on consistent living. Albert Einstein is attributed for defining insanity as doing the same thing over and over again, all the while expecting a different result each time. Is not living life with inconsistencies between our beliefs and our actions just another version of insanity? Is not acting in a way that is contrary to our beliefs on par with expecting different results from the same action? Why would we say that we believe one thing and act as if we believe another? Surely, this is insanity.
