Common Formulae for an Uncommon Life

What Adds Up to a Life Well Lived?

Of course there is no formula for success except perhaps, an unconditional acceptance of life and what it brings. —Artur Rubinstein

As tho' to breathe were life! —Alfred, Lord Tennyson

All happiness depends on courage and work. —Honoré de Balzac

Above: Luckily, life's formulae are a bit easier to make sense of and adhere to.

---

A long time ago on campus far, far away, this very writer was an aspirational math major.

I enjoyed math. Algebra’s formulae were utilitarian, geometry’s proofs, logical.

I was good at it, too, until I met my match in the chimerical commingling of algebra and geometry. That is, Calculus II marked the beginning of my mathematical end.

Call it a dream deferred or a bullet dodged, this bachelor never held a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics with his name printed on it.

I chose words over numbers, literacy over numeracy.

Or, rather, words and literacy chose me.

That said, I still respect and appreciate math, particularly the algebraic formulae drilled into me by teachers from New York to Notre Dame.

Formulae not only make the world go round, but also prove instructive from a paradigmatic point of view. They make the complex simple and the simple useful, serving as signposts that show us a way forward.

Reflecting upon my mathematical (mis)adventure, I began to wonder if there was a collection of formulae that might help humans lead an exceptional life. That is, a life determined to be atypical in light of its outstanding nature.

Below, in no particular order, are some formulae I wrote down. Each solution represents an important ingredient in the nourishing recipe that makes a healthy, hardy life.

Though they might not provide a concrete destination, they sure do point us in the right direction:

• God = Everything

• Everything = A Gift

• Health = Wealth

• Patience = Virtue

• Cleanliness = Godliness

• Life = Beautiful

• Clarity = Clear Intent + Defined End State

• Impact = Culture + Strategy

• Progress = Aspiration + Action

• Success = Resilience / Failure

• Joy = Optimism - Expectation

• Cheer = Kindness + Humor

• Grace = Charity - Sympathy

• Resiliency = Persistence + Consistency

• Persistence = Patience + Patience + Patience

• Sanctity = (Wisdom + Justice + Temperance + Fortitude) x (Faith+ Hope + Love)

• Delight = Humor - Malice

• Respect = Concern + Honesty

• A Good Day = Time Spent Outside + A Wide Smile + A Hearty Laugh + A Long Conversation with Family or Friend

• Good Craic = (A Long Life and a Merry One) x (A Quick Death and an Easy One) x (A Pretty Girl and an Honest One) x (A Cold Pint and Another One)

• Enough = Faith + Family + Friends

What else would you add?

---

Per my about page, White Noise is a work of experimentation. I view it as a sort of thinking aloud, a stress testing of my nascent ideas. Through it, I hope to sharpen my opinions against the whetstone of other people’s feedback, commentary, and input.

If you want to discuss any of the ideas or musings mentioned above or have any books, papers, or links that you think would be interesting to share on a future edition of White Noise, please reach out to me by replying to this email or following me on Twitter X.

With sincere gratitude,

Tom