Effortless Action

You’re reading the Dao Of Entrepreneurship, a weekly newsletter sharing practical tips on mindset mastery, personal growth, and finding balance in "the way" of entrepreneurship.

Hello you beautiful humans,

I’m back from a 6-week break from writing.

Separation paired with Intentionality creates space… for realignment.

In that realignment, I’ve made a few changes.

This newsletter, formerly called “The Inner Game”, will now be the “Dao of Entrepreneurship”.

Why?

In the last 8 months, I’ve been diving back into old teachings and books on Eastern philosophy and spirituality.

Specifically Zen, Buddhism, and Daoism.

My old stomping grounds back when I was a monk and during my earlier stages of personal growth.

Relearning these timeless wisdom, principles, and laws of nature. But this time, through the lens of being an entrepreneur.

Then it hit me.

Why not share what I’m relearning, practicing, and discovering with you all?

So here it is, welcome to the Dao ”the way” of Entrepreneurship.

I’ll be sharing snippets of insights and how you can apply these ancient wisdom to create more inner peace and balance on your journey of entrepreneurship and personal mastery.

Today’s transmission: On Effortless Action.

There’s a verse in the Tao Te Ching, where Lao Tzu talks about effortless action:

There is so much to unpack here.

The journey of (conscious) entrepreneurship is to create the reality you desire, while leaving a legacy of impact, without losing your inner peace.

On this journey, there’s often an emphasis on doing, on taking massive action, on creating forward momentum.

Effort is a big part of this game, but there’s also another part: non-effort.

The integration of effort of non-effort creates Effortless Action.

To take action and create, without the attachment to the outcome. To create, to do, to teach, to serve—but not for the rewards or results. To do the work because you’re guided to serve.

Most of our pains, problems, and loss of inner peace comes from our attachment to the outcome.

Effortless is not “not doing”. It’s not inactivity or laziness.

It’s a doing and being that is rooted in a deep trust and allowing of the world to unfold without the need to control.

It’s recognizing the difference in your body and mind between trying and allowing.

What I believe Lao Tzu is reminding us here is to find your Dharma, to play it all out, to focus on the work (process) and let go of the outcome. To trust in how you’re guided to serve rather than to be directed by your ego-driven desires.

And in doing so, your work and the fruits of your work lasts forever.

Doing The Work

Reflect on this notion of Effortless Action in your work.

• Where in your business or life are you so fixated on doing and trying harder?

• Where are you so attached to creating an outcome that it robs you of your presence in the process of serving?

• What would Effortless Action look and feel like for you?

• What does “trying” feel like in your body vs “allowing” feel like in your body?

• What comes up for you in your body and mind when you replace your ego-driven desires with the question “how may I serve?”

Upwards and onwards!

Your pal,

Colin