Monday, January 19, 2015

Lazy for this but not for that

Spiritual gurus opine that there's a difference between trying to do and doing. Trying is a matter of desire whereas doing is a matter of committing to that desire. Why do we have a desire to do something but don't do it? We have desires to be slim and fit, spring-clean our homes, study all of English Literature classics, etc. But, we don't commit to the effort. Why? Laziness? No! Laziness is when we don't have the desire to do something. What do we call the inaction when we have the desire to action? Mood is another demon: "I don't feel like working out today", "Too much work today, let me clean tomorrow". The above excuses come to nought when the action is 'partying', 'boozing', 'playing' or 'catching up with friends'. We might not even have partied before, but the idea would sound brilliant. How are we positively disposed to such plans even if it means preparing elaborately and driving a distance to accomplish them, whereas we are 'lazy' for chores?

Our minds prioritize pleasure over duty: adjectives such as 'interesting', 'fun' and 'relaxing' are more palatable than nouns like 'work', 'chore' and 'task'. For us to commit to an action, either the action should be a positive stimulus or the outcome of the action should be, outweighing the effort multiple times over. Are we really working that hard that our minds seek relief? There's always the holiday we look forward to that finally ends up too short and the next vacation we plan much ahead for. We work for pleasure and rewards. Imagine a world without salaries - We won't work! A world of business-men and -women or a world of crime! However, this is a hypothetical situation only.

Problem is of rewards! Thoughts such as, "What's the point in cleaning my table, it'd get shabby again" and "Why clean my car, it'd get dirty anyway" crop up if the mind perceives no commensurate reward for the effort required to commit the action. Nothing in nature operates this way, except humans. I believe 'real work' gets done when we expect no reward in return for the effort - Cleanliness for cleanliness' sake, working since someone has to do it, helping since someone needs it. Love thy labour or labour at what thou lovest! Expectations mar the real fruits of labour. Start loving a thing and it becomes 'interesting', 'fun' and 'relaxing'. Love to workout and you will get fit eventually.

No comments: