Very often, despite putting in a lot of effort, we do not get desired results. We often wonder why we are not able to succeed even after putting in so much effort. Well.. the problem often does not lie in the amount of total effort that goes in, but instead the amount of effort that is actually put into the moment (NOW) while performing the task.
Let me give you an example. Let’s say you have a metal plate and want to make a hole in it. Let’s assume that we have a tool and are applying a force of 10 Kgf i.e. 98 Newtons or let’s say Approx 100 Newtons. to make that hole. Now look at the figure and tell me whether this tool will be able to make the hole.
Obviously your answer will be in the negative. The reason why we would not be able to make the hole is that only 10% force is reaching the spot where the hole is to be made whereas 90 % of the force is getting spread on areas where it is not required.
However, don’t you think this is what exactly happens when we are putting effort on a particular task. We are so distracted that out of our entire attention, barely 10% is getting into the task that we are performing and the rest 90% is getting withered and wasted elsewhere. Isn’t it natural that we wouldn’t achieve accomplishment of goals.
I have often observed people so distracted in almost everything that they do. When they are eating, they are simultaneously talking, with someone or are on their phone, looking into their mobiles checking messages, watching television or a game, thinking about something that happened in the morning, or worrying about a presentation that they need to deliver in the afternoon. not even 5% of their attention is in eating. The food is just mechanically going down their mouth to the stomach. And then they wonder why they suffer from all kinds of health issues, digestive disorders, indigestion and are unable to get the required nutrition from what they eat. With just 5% attention in the eating process, what else should they expect.
So, what we need to do is to focus ourselves into the present moment while we are performing the task. Actually, the Present Moment i.e. the NOW is where everything is happening, every action takes place only in the NOW.
However, while we live our life, our mind doesn’t allow our attention or awareness to remain fully in the present moment. It keeps jumping around like a drunken monkey into the Past and Future without being in the NOW.
So, as shown in the figure below, if we are able to ensure that we are fully present in the NOW moment, then the entire effort gets concentrated at one point and the job will get done in a moment. In fact, if we follow the principle of ‘One Pointed Awareness’ we will be able to do the same task as before in 1/10th of the effort.
So, here’s what we simply need to do, in order to make our life effortless. We must always be in the NOW with One pointed awareness (Ekagrata) Ek = One , Agr = Point. When we focus on a particular task with full attention we suddenly get into a zone where things become effortless. We always have a choice, to work with effort or to work effortlessly. Obviously, the sensible choice would be to work effortlessly.
When we are eating, we must just eat, when driving, just drive, when working on an assignment, just be 100% immersed into it.. and we will soon realize how impactful our work becomes and what magical results we achieve effortlessly.
However, for that to happen, we will have to be in the Present moment without allowing our mind to distract us. That way, we will get the job done with less effort and will also not feel tired in the process.
Wish you a wonderful day ahead, deeply immersed in what you are doing every moment in the NOW !!
