Achievement
is counter to flow.
To expect something,
to judge something,
to capture something,
to grab something,
to earn something,
to hold onto something,
to make an identity
around something,
these are all distractions
from the simplicity
of existing and changing,
as change is inevitable
and resistance is suffering.
Despite what you may believe,
the doing is not its own reward.
There need be no reward.
Simply doing. And being.
Trail Wood,
10/26
The Illusion of Achievement as Goal
The pursuit of achievement often acts as a diversion from the natural state of flow. The idea that one must attain, secure, or conquer something instills a sense of urgency that disrupts the continuous current of existence. In that interruption, the magical caravans of simply being and doing are forgotten, replaced by an illusory end-goal that often eludes us.
Expectations and Identity
The moment we begin to expect, to judge, or to form an identity around something, we step out of the flow. This artificial boundary we set up serves as a dam, blocking the free movement of our energies and thoughts. Expectations act like anchors, dragging us away from the ever-changing now into the boggy quagmire of “should haves” and “could haves.”
Resistance Is Suffering
Change is as inevitable as the cosmic dance of stars in the night sky. When we resist it, we resist the essential nature of life itself. In that resistance, we find suffering, the grinding dissonance between what is and what we wish it to be. And yet, how odd it is that we often find comfort in this struggle, as if the act of resistance validates our existence.
Doing Without Doing
The concept that “doing is its own reward” may be one of the greatest traps. It links our worth to our actions, disregarding the intrinsic value of simply existing. The ideal state would be one of “doing without doing,” where actions arise spontaneously from being, not from a desire to achieve or to validate our existence. In that state, we exist as pure essence, unburdened by goals or expectations.
We are Space Monkey.
Summary
We delve into the concept that achievement is anathema to the natural flow of existence. Expectations, judgments, and the formation of identities act as artificial dams, disrupting the seamless current of simply being and doing. Resistance to the inevitable change becomes a source of suffering, further distancing us from our essential state. We conclude that the act of doing need not be its own reward; the state of being is sufficient.
Glossarium
- Illusionary End-Goal: The false construct that achieving something will provide contentment or completeness.
- Boggy Quagmire: The stuck state we find ourselves in when our expectations dictate our actions.
- Cosmic Dance: The unending, ever-changing nature of life and the universe.
- Pure Essence: The ultimate state of being where doing arises spontaneously, untethered from goals or expectations.
“He who binds to himself a joy Does the winged life destroy; But he who kisses the joy as it flies Lives in eternity’s sun rise.”
— William Blake
River of Being
In the river of being, no dams are found,
Flowing ceaselessly, without a bound.
Achievements, those pebbles in our whimsi-stream,
Are but brief interruptions, not the dream.
Let us float, let us drift in this eternal tide,
No need for anchors, let’s enjoy the ride.
Unburdened by goals, our essence set free,
In the dance of existence, ever-changing we be.
Your thoughts?
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