Synchronicity❣️ I think this was probably the best post you’ve written, or at least the one that has aligned with me the most. There’s something here that you didn’t convey in either of your books. I will have to reread this a few times.
When I think of what you are talking about here, I think of some of my general problems with the pathless path, certain elements don’t allow me to be at my best.
I really like to work, I probably define work differently than most people. I like to help people, using the skills and expertise I have to guide them to better outcomes that they desire.
I didn’t start a fund, because the economics of the fund would force me to do X to return y to investors.
I want to help people being their vision to life in a way that allows them to operate at their financial goals, if possible.
Paul, your point about work as a 'mundane' practice is crucial. So much of the online conversation is about escape or explosive success, but the real leverage is built in the daily, unglamorous engagement.
A distinction I've found useful is between 'work-as-performance' and 'work-as-practice'. Performance is for an external audience, chasing a result. Practice is for the self, chasing mastery of the process.
Viewing work as a 'practice' reframes every task from a demand for an outcome into an opportunity to build internal stability.
Like everything, and perhaps even more than everything else, the experience we have at work across the breath of associated tasks seems to be massively colored by the story we have about what we're doing. There are tons of small details, paperwork, petty bureaucracy, cashflow management issues, etc etc that I attend to every day, but I experience enthusiasm for them because they're all enabling an overall form of work that I enjoy and believe in. I'm sure every person has a different experience of this and can tolerate more or less of this in their work lives, but to adopt the lens of work being a place we get good information about our inner lives—mindset, assumptions, attitudes, capacity for presence, ability to manage our mind and attention, the state of our relationships (with others and with ourselves) all of that resonates 100% for me. It's been a popular notion in the last 10 years that business is a good reason to become more conscious because it will make you more successful, but I think the reverse might even be more true. Wanting to be conscious and a better person is a good reason to do business because it's an exceptionally penetrating mirror for work on self. Second only perhaps to parenting. Lucky we are to have access to both domains!
Hi Paul! Will you be hosting community meetups in Taipei in late October/early November? I'm a recent college grad reading The Pathless Path and would love to come to a meetup!
Awesome one! This puts into words some of my own experience at the borders. Some part of not enjoying ‘work’ is the expectations around it being high impact and fulfilling and other things. But a lot of the actual work is actually quite enjoyable, and one can definitely choose to enjoy work more.
yeah i think it was very hard for me on my former path, mostly because i was so deep in a world where the narrative of work is so important, but not much easier!
Excellent article with plenty to think about. I’m sure I’ll be contemplating it further when I’m in the midst of mundane tasks during the week. Thank you!
Synchronicity❣️ I think this was probably the best post you’ve written, or at least the one that has aligned with me the most. There’s something here that you didn’t convey in either of your books. I will have to reread this a few times.
Thank you!
Happy blissful future state…
When I think of what you are talking about here, I think of some of my general problems with the pathless path, certain elements don’t allow me to be at my best.
I really like to work, I probably define work differently than most people. I like to help people, using the skills and expertise I have to guide them to better outcomes that they desire.
I didn’t start a fund, because the economics of the fund would force me to do X to return y to investors.
I want to help people being their vision to life in a way that allows them to operate at their financial goals, if possible.
Great post Paul.
Paul, your point about work as a 'mundane' practice is crucial. So much of the online conversation is about escape or explosive success, but the real leverage is built in the daily, unglamorous engagement.
A distinction I've found useful is between 'work-as-performance' and 'work-as-practice'. Performance is for an external audience, chasing a result. Practice is for the self, chasing mastery of the process.
Viewing work as a 'practice' reframes every task from a demand for an outcome into an opportunity to build internal stability.
Like everything, and perhaps even more than everything else, the experience we have at work across the breath of associated tasks seems to be massively colored by the story we have about what we're doing. There are tons of small details, paperwork, petty bureaucracy, cashflow management issues, etc etc that I attend to every day, but I experience enthusiasm for them because they're all enabling an overall form of work that I enjoy and believe in. I'm sure every person has a different experience of this and can tolerate more or less of this in their work lives, but to adopt the lens of work being a place we get good information about our inner lives—mindset, assumptions, attitudes, capacity for presence, ability to manage our mind and attention, the state of our relationships (with others and with ourselves) all of that resonates 100% for me. It's been a popular notion in the last 10 years that business is a good reason to become more conscious because it will make you more successful, but I think the reverse might even be more true. Wanting to be conscious and a better person is a good reason to do business because it's an exceptionally penetrating mirror for work on self. Second only perhaps to parenting. Lucky we are to have access to both domains!
So good and timely, thank you!
Hi Paul! Will you be hosting community meetups in Taipei in late October/early November? I'm a recent college grad reading The Pathless Path and would love to come to a meetup!
hosting an event oct 5 - come! https://luma.com/9jm6rktn
I won't be in Taiwan until Oct 25 unfortunately! Will you post about future events too?
Awesome one! This puts into words some of my own experience at the borders. Some part of not enjoying ‘work’ is the expectations around it being high impact and fulfilling and other things. But a lot of the actual work is actually quite enjoyable, and one can definitely choose to enjoy work more.
yeah i think it was very hard for me on my former path, mostly because i was so deep in a world where the narrative of work is so important, but not much easier!
Excellent article with plenty to think about. I’m sure I’ll be contemplating it further when I’m in the midst of mundane tasks during the week. Thank you!