Rule Seven, Do What Is Meaningful and Not What Is Expedient

In the pursuit of understanding and improving ourselves, it is more productive to reflect on our own inadequacies rather than blaming the world. Rule four encourages self-reflection and asks if we have truly made the most of the opportunities we have been given. Taking responsibility for our own lives is crucial before criticizing the existence or social institutions. This doctrine emphasizes the importance of personal actions and how they ripple outward. Rule seven advises pursuing meaningful actions rather than expedient ones, while rule eight urges us to be truthful or, at the very least, to avoid lying. These rules encapsulate the essence of all twelve rules, with rule seven and eight being particularly significant.