“It is better to have only a little, with peace of mind, than be busy all the time with both hands, trying to catch the wind.”

Ecclesiastes 4:6 (GNT)

When you’re ready to slow down your life, start with a self-assessment: What drives you to always push for more? Why do you need to have more money in your bank account or more achievements in your career? Why do you need to pack more activities in your schedule?

To help you answer those questions in today’s culture, ask yourself if you’ve believed these three major lies that contribute to our fast-paced life.

The first lie is that having more will make you happier. 

Life is not about values or possessions. Jesus said, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Mark 8:36 NIV). I know lots of people who have plenty of things, but they’re still unhappy and unsatisfied with their lives.

The second lie is that doing more will make you more worthy.

If you get your work and your worth confused, you’re going to be stressed out and running on empty your entire life.

The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 4:6, “It is better to have only a little, with peace of mind, than be busy all the time with both hands, trying to catch the wind” (GNT). In other words, doing more won’t give you peace. It’s wiser to buy a smaller home or live on less of your income so you can have more time, more energy, more joy, and more peace of mind.

The third lie is that life is a competition with other people.

You are not in competition with anybody—not your neighbor, your boss, your friends, or anybody else. Why? Because you are unique, and God didn’t make you to be in competition with anyone. He wants you to be you. When you accept that and stop trying to be like other people, it takes a lot of stress out of your life.

Proverbs 14:30 says in the Living Bible paraphrase, “A relaxed attitude lengthens a man’s life; jealousy rots it away.” 

These three lies keep you from being content in life, which keeps you driving and striving—but never thriving.

To slow down your life, don’t just try to do less. Start with the heart. Slowing down comes not by clearing your calendar but by becoming content with what you have and who you are.