“Work for Work’s sake?”
When you work, do it with hope that it helps somebody; work without expecting anything in return. If there is a motivation behind work (like fame, name, recognition) - rarely does it bring success, even if it does - that will be short lived.
We have to learn and practice Unselfishness
Even if we can do five minutes work without a selfish motive, then it is an achievement. It takes practice to work without any motive. Even five minutes of unselfish work will waken the moral giant in you. Unselfish work implies something done without the fear of punishment, glee of gain, content of praise or thoughts of the future.
During our daily work - at home or in the office, we have opportunities to display ‘unselfishness’ in our work. I would want to put this into practice. Just work 5 minutes only for ‘work’s sake’ without any aspirations. Gradually increase it. This will, in due course of time, become a part of you. A nature which will help all those who come to know you.
Unselfish work is a form of self restraint. This art or nature of work will develop power, character and a mighty will. Remember there will be no short term gains. Matter of fact, we should not be looking for a gain. Many of us cannot see beyond a few years. I am 32 years old, but I sometimes do not see beyond 33. We need to develop patience to look beyond, into the future. All the unselfish work - even 5 minutes a day will accumulate; years from now when I look back - it gives me a sense of satisfaction that my life on this earth had some worth, it helped to serve humanity. Take small steps, but in the right direction.
“Leave the fruits alone”
Firstly, any work - even to sweep the floor - cannot be ignored. Even there you can display unselfishness. Do it earnestly, put your heart into it. Swami Vivekananda says “To work we have the right, but not to the fruits thereof: Leave the fruits alone.”
Let us make it simple:
If you want to help your friend or relative or anybody: please do not expect anything in return. Do not think: that it will improve that person’s attitude towards you or perhaps he will be of help to you in the future. Please let us not think of the ‘fruits’ there of. Yes, it is hard for me, for you and everybody else. But there in lies the ‘value’ of the work you did.
