Why Turning Off Your Desires Can Be Good For You?

Hey SCG,

2011 has started with really precious events for me and I hope,that lessons learned from it; will have an impact on you too. You might remember recent shipment about goals and its execution, in which I was encouraging you to do/ship/create/deliver rather than waste time on planning your actions. Recently I have been blessed with another epiphany moment of my life, after which I have started to free myself of desires (and by now, I can tell this is gonna be a lifelong path of  aware observing of myself  & of own thoughts every single day). Sounds horrifying? Possibly, yes. Do you want to know what has desireless mindset done for me? Carry on, reading then.

Letting Go Does NOT Mean Being Passive – It Is Quite Opposite!

Some of you might object, that when you give up your desires, it will mean that you have no ambitions and that you will become like rotting passive vegetable with such attitude. Initially I had the same fear as well.

BUT, what life taught me is, that the moment when I gave up need to be in control of things/events/outcome, it has unleashed even more energy from within me, which was previously consumed by attachments like expectations, wish for a reward or pleasure from recognition. So, I was able to deploy newly emerged & freed energy into real action = shipping.

Are you not convinced yet? Let me sketch a brief story about above mentioned thoughts and how surrendering to the flow of life & focusing only on being authentic “shipper”=doer, no matter of the fact, if I will get credit for it or not, worked for me in real life. (And it might work for you, too)

Story Of a Surrender & Its Mind-Blowing Result

On 24th January, just one day after 2nd NGLS Conference, my Google Reader indicated unread post next to  Seth Godin‘s bold project on changing book publishing industry (which I am sure, you SCG-ers must have heard of, too)  The Domino Project.

I have jumped straight on unread The Domino Project post, which was written by Seth’s accomplice “in crime” –  Amber Rae where,  she was calling out to the world, that they are In Search Of a Domino Street Team.

Exhausted as I was from NGLS, I did fill in application right away, with total disattachment to the outcome, that is if I will be picked or no. I  have simply told myself, that “I will be promoting Seth’s project regardless if they will officially assign me or not. I love Seth’s art and he is a great source of inspiration for me, therefore nothing can prevent me from “sneezing”= spreading word about his project.”

I have surrendered of my desires/expectations and wishes. I have employed all my attention and focus only on  filling in sincere and authentic application, which I have meant from the bottom of my heart.

What Was the Result?

2 days back I have received email from Amber with subject line: Domino Street Team: You Are In!

How super cool is that?

I , #IS and you – SCG, we will have an honor to be part of changing not only book publishing history…

Let me conclude today’s shipment with words by one of the greatest minds in human history – Jiddu Krishnamurti, who has also inspired me to be more aware of my own thoughts and emotions. Jiddu says in his book Freedom from the Known:

You cannot think about joy. Joy is an immediate thing and by thinking about it, you turn it into pleasure. Living in the present is instant perception of beauty and the great delight in it without seeking pleasure from it.

Oh, my it was such a joy to ship this post for you. Thank you for that! And I am strongly encouraging you to remember this equation :

Shipping with Love + Being Desireless = Dreams Come True

SCG,

what is your take on leaving expectations and desires behind? Have you ever experienced something worth remarking, when you forgot to focus on who is going to get a credit or what pleasure should it bring you at the end?

Back at you now.

HUGS

i.