Daily Inspiration Quote by Eric Butterworth

In a culture that treats busyness like a moral credential, Butterworth’s line lands as a quiet act of dissent. “One of the best things to do” begins in the language of productivity, then swerves: the “thing” you should “do” is to stop doing. That little paradox is the point. It smuggles stillness into a society trained to equate worth with output.

The word “sometimes” matters, too. He isn’t selling a permanent retreat from responsibility; he’s giving permission for strategic non-action. The subtext is pedagogical: students (and adults) are constantly taught to solve, perform, compete, improve. Butterworth, an educator shaped by mid-century self-help spirituality and the rise of “human potential” thinking, offers a counter-lesson: identity precedes achievement. “Simply” trims away the heroic narrative of self-optimization. No hacks, no hustle, no grand epiphany - just the baseline act of existing without defending it.

“Be” is doing a lot of work here. It gestures toward mindfulness before the term became a lifestyle brand, toward contemplation before it was packaged as corporate wellness. It also carries an ethical edge: when you’re always acting, you’re easier to steer - by institutions, by deadlines, by anxiety. To “be” is to reclaim attention, to let thought and feeling surface without immediately converting them into tasks.

The intent isn’t escapism; it’s recalibration. Butterworth is arguing that presence is not the reward after you finish your obligations. It’s a practice that makes your obligations intelligible - and your life less like an endless to-do list masquerading as a self.