YOU ONLY HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THE WORK, NOT TO THE FRUITS THEREOF. LET YOUR ATTACHMENT BE TOWARDS YOUR DUTY, NEITHER TO THE FRUITS THEREOF NOR TOWARDS INACTION.

While this may raise a lot of eyebrows, let us truly understand the nature of work and reward. The only thing that ever is truly in our control are our thoughts and actions. No matter how hard we have ever tried since childhood, results have never been in our hands. Whether to get good grades, excel at a sport, or win someone’s heart, all we have ever been truly in control of was our own thoughts and actions, our discharge of our duties. Thus, this is only a reminder that one should be steadfast in discharging their duties and move from one duty to another religiously, thinking about the results never truly having any impact on the results as they are never in our hands.

A MAN IS ONLY AS MUCH AS HE THINKS HE IS.

Not only in this book, but we hear this from everyone who has ever tried to mentor us. To think that we are enough, to think that we are the best, and to always think positive. The same quote has also been affirmed and transcribed into an entire book by author “Rhonda Bryne” in her book “The Secret”. Evidence of this quote stretches over all of history.

A MAN IS HIS OWN BEST FRIEND and HIS ONLY ENEMY:

Something that is not stressed enough in our lives is that we are our own best friend and we are our only enemy. This is based on the principle of what we think and what action we take. We can choose to spend our weekends with alcohol and intoxication, or we can spend our weekends educating ourselves. Such is with every little aspect of our life, and thus this is a reminder to make the right choices in the right frame of mind, not being moved by temporary distractions and instant gratification. Nothing in this world can affect us if we don’t let it.

LUST, ANGER, and GREED are the PATH TO DESTRUCTION:

Lust may come in any form, be it lust for physical release or lust for a particular administrative position. Anger is self-explanatory; we all know that we are capable of the harmful impossible when anger consumes us. Greed for more is also a path that leads to the surest of destruction. Lust, Greed, and Anger are the three emotions that make us fall out of our mind and take over the entire mind, thoughts, and actions. We thus are not in control when the mind is overcome by these three emotions. All three take away the power of rational thinking, the only thing that we are truly capable of controlling, which is the mind. Thus, one can be sure to walk into destruction when one is not in control of his own mind and thoughts.

GOODNESS, PASSION, and IGNORANCE:

While one may be completely unaware of this, there are actually three modes in which every human being operates. They are Goodness, Passion, and Ignorance.

Goodness: When one does something, absolutely with the sense of duty and the fact that such needs to be done. When operating with goodness, one may not like the process of doing the said deed, but later, the results are truly rewarding. Example: Exercise, clean eating, consistency at work, cleanliness at home, completion of tasks, etc.

Passion: When one does something with a passionate mind, moved by emotion, the person is devoid of control of his senses, thus enjoying the deed while doing it but later facing the aftereffects caused by such a deed. Example: Intoxication, making a promise when happy, unhealthy foods that taste good, inconsistency at work, etc.

Ignorance: When one is completely ignorant of the reason for doing the work and the motive for the same. One is neither enjoying the process while doing the work nor the aftereffects of the same. Example: Continuing at a toxic workplace, continuing to eat foods that are harmful to health, committing illegal acts, etc.