It always intrigued me the people who seem to grind their way through work, the hustlers, working extensive hours, ambitiously going for what they want, even to the cost of sacrificing their health, peace of mind, relationships or even their sanity for the sake of more productivity.
I am also equally intrigued by people who are so deeply engaged in their dream worlds that action taking basically doesn't happen. They sit on the sideline of the game, wishing that if they just felt good enough, if the circumstance was just right, then they would start playing. Very unproductive.
Of course that, one of the reasons why it intrigues me is that I have both of these attitudes towards work inside me too in a weekly basis and I also see both of these in others.
There are times where we believe stress, urgency, anger, frustration or any challenge in the world are signs that we should move even faster, stronger, better!
Then there are also times where we think we need to feel good, inspired, perfect, having all our shit together, energized and one with the universe before taking any action.
But then, have you noticed that there are some people who – most of the time – are very down to earth, take actions, make important decisions (aka are IN the game) AND at the same time have a sense of ease and wellbeing in them?
They don't wait to feel great to make a move, but also are not trying to grind their way with pressure, struggle and sacrifice. They still feel fears and insecurities, but are not letting them be on the driver's seat. There's a trust in each step that everything is ok, even when they fail.
What is it that these people understand that the majority don't?
Well, there’s a quote by Gregory Bateson that says:
“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘫𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬.” - Gregory Bateson
The more we start to understand the nature of things and how humans naturally work, the less misunderstandings we have about work, productivity, relationships and emotions. In other words, we navigate them better, because through understanding we are more equipped to used them.
Here are some examples that points to the nature of things:
💡Nothing in the world was ever created without some sort of action
💡Action taking is not dependent on a positive feeling.
💡Working with a mind filled with stress, fear and insecurity at any given time equals to a decline in performance and productivity in that moment.
💡Stress, fear, insecurity and “problems” are generated 100% from inside of us, not like catching a cold from the outside. These emotions and confused thinking reflect what is going on in our minds.
💡We don’t need to manage, fix, improve or work on our emotions, their nature is fluid and temporary, no matter how intense. Who we are is not our emotions.
💡Creativity, peace of mind, innovation, connection to others, flow and capacity to find simple solutions to complex looking situations…are all innate in every human being and experienced as a consequence of a clear, present mind.
💡There’s nothing we HAVE to do, we act on what makes sense for us based on desires and what looks true at any given moment.
I know that these phrases can look just like mere statements or good ideas, that’s why what really makes a difference for anyone reading this is to actually pause, reflect and explore if each of these statements are true.
Not only if they are true for you, but for all people at all times. So, don’t believe in what is written here, see for yourself.
Because the more we actually understand the nature of work, emotions and productivity, the more we naturally perform better with a deeper sense of freedom, peace and wellbeing at the same time.
What do you think, can we have both consistent action taking and peace of mind? Do you have other examples on the nature of things?