In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna, the warrior, stands at the forefront of a fearsome battle. He is riddled with fear and doubt. Luckily, his charioteer is the God Krishna, who teaches Arjuna the art of living fully. His teachings form the philosophies that make up 18 chapters of the Bhagavad Gita.
In chapter 2, Krishna tells Arjuna to ‘Do your duty, but do not be concerned with the results. The fruits of your actions are not for your enjoyment’.
This can be quite unsettling for someone who has worked long and hard. How do you give up the rewards of your efforts? What exactly does that mean?
I think the words are about putting your focus on the process of your work instead of the prize. When you get obsessed with winning, money, likes, eyeballs, your work becomes compromised, and so does your joy. More so, when you focus on the rewards, you lose focus on the work, which doesn’t get your best efforts.
Let the process of creation be the reward, and get a day job if you have to.
Hi I’m Jamuna Burry.
365 DAYS is my personal practice of shipping words and images.
Exploring ideas on creativity through digital art.
This is a great reminder to put the work in if you want sucess.
This is so true. Thanks for the reminder!
I just love this quote. There’s a sense of relief when I read it.