No Expectations – No Disappointments

NO EXPECTATIONS – NO DISAPPOINTMENTS

Philosophical Ruminations of a Veteran

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Are you a result oriented person...?

Yes...?

Are you obsessed with the “return” you get on your “investments”...?

Yes...?

Then why don’t you try to adopt a philosophical approach to life. 

Here is a saying from Lao-tzu from Tao Te Ching:

Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill.

Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt.

Chase after money and security and your heart will never unclench.

Care about other people's approval and you will be their prisoner.

Do your work, then step back.

The only path to serenity.

~ Lao-tzu, Tao Te Ching, ch. 9

Yes – that is the key: 

Do your work – then step back

Or better still – let Chapter 2 Verse 47 of The Bhagavad Gita be your guide:

karmany evadhikarass te maphalesu kadachana ma karma-phala-hetur bur ma te sango stv akarmani 

(Seek to perform your duty; but do not lay claim to its fruits. You have a right to perform your prescribed action, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your action. Never consider yourself the cause of the results your activities, but neither should you avoid doing your duty) 

So that’s the moral of the story:

Always do your best without expecting results and you will be happy.

To put it in an nutshell:

NO EXPECTATIONS – NO DISAPPOINTMENTS 

RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI)

Do you expect a Return on Investment (ROI) on everything...?

In today’s materialistic world – when you Invest your Money – you expect a Return on your Investment (ROI). 

Some persons apply this ROI Theory to other domains of their lives as well. 

For example – they feel that if they “invest” in a relationship – especially marriage – they must get good “returns” (ROI). 

As far as any relationship – especially marriage – is concerned – it is best to adopt the following philosophy:

No Expectations – No Disappointments – Happy Marriage 

Apply this philosophy in your career, your work life too.

Do your job to the best of your ability – then step back – and forget about results, rewards etc

Have no expectations – expect no “return” – and you will not be disappointed.

QUID PRO QUO

The first thing to do is to forget about Quid Pro Quo. 

Just do what you want to do – and step back. 

Do not expect anything in return. 

Just do something for the sake of doing that something.

Do it because you want to do it – you enjoy doing it – and forget about the results.

From personal experience – I have discovered that this is the best philosophy of life.

Nowadays – I write, I blog – but I do not have any expectations from writing and blogging.

I do not expect any “return” – tangible or intangible – for the effort I invest in blogging.

Yes – I do “invest” plenty of my resources – especially my time and my intellect – in writing and blogging – but I do not expect a “return” on my “investment”.

No “ROI” 

No “Quid Pro Quo”

I Blog – because I love Blogging.

So I write a Blog – and then – I step back – I forget about the blog I have written – and I go on to writing my next blog.

Like Lao-tzu says in Tao Te Ching: 

Do your work – then step back

Dear Reader – Remember: 

If you have no expectations – then you will have no disappointments

VIKRAM KARVE

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Disclaimer:

This is based on my personal experience. It may or may not work for you, so please do due diligence before you adopt any philosophy of life.

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No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)

Updated Version of My Article First Posted by me Vikram Karve at 12/11/2011 08:47:00 PM in my blog at url: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2011/12/do-you-believe-in-quid-pro-quo.html  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2014/09/my-philosophy-of-life-no-expectations.html etc