The real force that drives most people in life is the idea of gaining things, of “becoming someone.”

Our minds and hearts are dominated by the notion that there is something for us to gain or achieve. We go to school and the entire educational system is based on obtaining certain knowledge, position, and credential in order to place us in this life so that we may gain from it.

Consider for a moment how deeply ingrained (in you) is this absolutely unconscious mindset that looks at every moment as something to get done in order to gain from it. What do you do every day, moment to moment? What is living your life? Is it not: “Trying to get things done”?

With an honest look, we can see that for all our efforts so far, everything we have gained from this world through such a mindset has betrayed us. Even the so-called approval of other people… you gain it and then one person looks askew at you, and it’s all gone. There isn’t anything that we can gain that doesn’t cause us to feel like we’re going to lose something that we need to protect at all costs.

So if the true purpose of this life is not about gain, then what is it about?   [to be continued]