“You have the right to work, but never to the fruit of work. You should never engage in action for the sake of reward, nor should you long for inaction. Perform work in this world, as a man established within himself – without selfish attachments, and alike in success and defeat. The wise unify their consciousness and abandon attachment to the fruits of action.” – Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita is one of the most beautiful books ever written. It is a story about Prince Arjuna and his discussions with Krishna on the eve before a great war. It really is a story about the war we all fight within, the struggle for self mastery that we all must engage in if we are to emerge from life victorious.
Those who have not fully engaged the war within have caused all problems on earth, because this war within gets projected out onto the world and has done damage and destruction beyond measure. This book also covers the meaning of life, navigates the depth of human personality, and points to what is most critical and essential while living. It is a must read.
In the Bhagavad Gita, it is mentioned frequently that in life one is responsible for effort and action, but not the result. The wise learn to abandon attachment to the fruits of action. When we depend upon the result or fruits of action and the result isn’t what we “desired” or “wanted,” we suffer.
We all depend to some degree on the fruits or results of our actions. We are attached to outcomes needing to be a certain way. Think about how this may resonate with you as you embark upon the path of being your healthiest and best Self.
Have you tried (made effort) to lose weight before only to be disappointed, sad or angered when you didn’t achieve your desired weight? Are you attached to needing to weigh a certain weight and suffer when you don’t?
Are you wrestling with a serious health issue and have been trying so many things that haven’t resulted in being free yet?
Have you tried a million things to get healthy only to find they have not worked?
Or have things you’ve done in the past worked for you but now don’t?
Life is constantly changing. Change is the one constant in life.
How do you respond to change? Do you change well with it or do you suffer because life isn’t how it used to be?
Mastery in life is understanding that you are 100% responsible for taking action each day with the information you have available. Mastery in life is also learning to not be attached to the result or outcome of the actions you take.
So if you haven’t been taking action, start anew today and take action. If you are attached to the results of your actions, learn how to let go of the desire (lust), fear, sadness and anger that arise as the attachments to the outcome of your actions.
Life is about learning to master this – taking action in service to mankind and the world (not yourself) while being totally unattached to the outcome.
I don’t know about you, but I suffer all the time because I am attached to the results of my actions or at times I don’t get into action at all and suffer even more.
What is stopping you today? Where are you at with your own mastery of life?
Truth #1: Take action today.
Truth #2: Love and enjoy the work and process.
Truth #3: Be free with the results (or lack thereof).
