Managing Unnecessary Fear

Intelligent mind understands the difference between proper action and improper action, what is duty and non-duty, what is to be feared and what is not to be feared, what is binding and what is liberating. (Bhagavad Gita 18.30)

Intelligence is in understanding the difference between Healthy Fear and Unnecessary Fear. Examples of unnecessary fear include Fear of clearing a competitive exam, Fear of losing a bid, Fear of missing the deadline commitments to a client, etc. Ms. RinTchen asked ‘How to deal with fear and anxiety in corporate situations and still take good decisions. That is the theme for this week.

The technique for managing ‘unhealthy fear’ is also given in Bhagavad Gita and that is the best technique in my experience. I used this and benefited from this in multiple situations. I shall take you to the most popular sloka, maha mantra of #BhagavadGita to understand and appreciate the most effective technique against fear and anxiety.

#EffortsAreYourDuty

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन। मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि॥ (Bhagavad Gita 2.47)

I shall give here transliteration as well as this is highly popular and meaningful sloka in Bhagavad Gita.

Karmanye vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana, Ma Karmaphalaheturbhurma Te Sangostvakarmani

The meaning of the verse is—

You have the right to work only but never to its fruits. Let not the fruits of action be the reason to do the work, nor let your attachment be to inaction.

You may wonder the above sloka neither has any reference about fear nor about any technique. Why am I quoting this as the answer to managing ‘unnecessary fear in corporate life’. There is a reason, not one but many. Let me explain.

Many theorists interpret this sloka as ‘We have the right to do work but not on the results as God only has the authority to the results of our actions’. I would beg to differ on this,

The reason for Lord Krishna giving us the dictum to work without longing for the results is not to dissuade us from enjoying the fruits of our labour. We have the right to enjoy the fruits of labour.  The difference is in enjoying the fruits of labour and longing for the fruits of labour. Longing for the fruits of our labour gives rise to ‘unnecessary fear’ / worries about the results.

Goals are our rights

Hint for this line of interpretation comes in the second line of the same sloka. The word hetu is normally taken to mean motive / purpose. Hetu in Sanskrit also means reason. Lord Krishna clearly indicates that let the reason for doing a work be not the results but the conscience that doing work is the duty. ‘Doing a work betting for a particular outcome’ creates unnecessary anxiety in our mind until the desired outcome is realized and I already explained in an earlier episode that the anxiety about an outcome is like erecting series of hurdles on the path.

There could be a question here, would this mean setting goals is discouraged by Lord Krishna. Definitely not. Setting goals is also our right. God will not set the goals for us. Let me explain this.

Aspiring for winning a race is our right, setting up targets for the race is our duty because you can perfect only when there is a target. Running as efficiently as possible on the D-Day is our duty, winning the race is also our right. Then what is prohibited in Bhagavad Gita? Practicing for the race and running the race for the sake of winning that coveted prize shall be avoided. Run the race for the sake of running. Practice for the sake of becoming the best sprinter and the result will come automatically. You work hard to bid for a deal to win the bid on your strengths and on the basis of your hard work and not for outsmarting other competitors. This noble thought will relieve our mind from ‘unnecessary fear’ and anxiety about the outcome. Getting rid of fear and anxiety is like adding an extra portion of hard work / manpower in the equation as free bonus.

Let us do good work, efficient work, productive work because it is good to do good work and because it keeps us happy and satisfied and not because doing good will fetch big increments / huge returns. Growth will come automatically.

My son was a competitive swimmer in his youth.  I remember a golden advice / correction given to him by his coach, never to glance at the position of the competitors in a race and single minded focus should be the sight of the block at the end of your lane. This is also aligned to this bhagavad gita sloka.

#ContentmentVsAspiration

The last piece of advice in the sloka is also very important. Some people take the convenient route of laziness quoting that Lord himself proclaimed that nothing is in our hands and everything is in his control and hence no point in aspiring. They claim that contentment is the dharmic principle suggested in Bhagavad Gita. Lord Krishna concludes this maha mantra specifically for this group of people.

Doing duty is your rights and not the results but that does not mean that you can remain inactive. ‘Shun your attachment to inaction’. Hindu philosophy advocates contentment but not contentment at the cost of inaction. This beautiful clarity is coming out in this important sloka. Hindu philosophy advocates dual principle, contentment for your achievements and aspirations for your future, focus on actions but not on the results of the actions.

Positive News Page will continue in the next episode.

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Conceived, compiled and posted as a weekly motivational newsletter #MondayMusings by Jaganathan (www.authorjaganathan.com)

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