“You are only entitled to the action, never to its fruits.” — Bhagavad Gita

No other book or scripture influenced Gandhi, shaped his character, and transformed his life as profoundly and permanently as the Bhagavad Gita.

This quote from the Bhagavad Gita is a reminder to focus on the process of doing something rather than worrying about the outcome. You control the action, but the outcome is not always in your hands.

For example, imagine you are studying for an important exam. You can only control the amount of effort and time you put into studying, but you cannot control the grade you receive. If you focus on the process of learning to the best of your ability and do not worry too much about the outcome, you will be less stressed and more productive. You will also be less disappointed if you don't get the grade you hoped for because you know you put in your best effort.

Another example could be in the context of a job interview. You can only control how well you prepare, present yourself, and answer the questions, but you cannot control whether you get the job. If you focus on doing your best during the interview and do not worry too much about whether you get the job, you will feel more confident and calm during the process. You will also be less disappointed if you don't get the job because you know you did everything possible to present yourself well.

It is a reality of life that we may encounter situations where we are undervalued, experience setbacks, and face unexpected failures. How do we deal with these situations and still feel pride in ourselves and our work?

John Wooden advised his players to redefine success. He believed that success is about having peace of mind and taking satisfaction in knowing that you did your best to become the best version of yourself. Marcus Aurelius echoed this sentiment and stated that ambition should be tied to one's actions, not the opinions or actions of others. Therefore, we should focus on doing our work to the best of our abilities and let go of the need for recognition and rewards. Our satisfaction in knowing that we did our best should be the ultimate measure of success.

Best of luck,

Annie@calendarmind 😘