You Don’t Have to Do Anything
Reflections From a Video I Saw
I saw this video today via Facebook and I was curious on this person’s take on how procrastination can be solved.
He first explains the master to servant model and how the servant resents the master’s order since the servant’s input and thought was not considered and does things that would tick off the master off which he calls passive aggression. He connects this relationship with parent to child, teacher to student and married couples.
His solution? You don’t have to do anything.
To eliminate procrastination once in for all requires you to understand that you don’t have to do anything and if you do make a choice, it’s your choice and it’s what you want, not something you have to do. According to this guy, the reason why “to do lists” don’t work is because you are making yourself a “slave” to the list and feel resentment from past feelings you had with previous masters: your parents, teachers and elders. He would go on to say while there may be consequences to your actions or inactions, the choice is ultimately yours. If this is the case, then procrastination will simply dry up and disappear. The reasoning for this is that you wouldn’t want to fight with choices that you wanted to do right?
My first impressions were there were some valid points made and perhaps I could use this somewhere in my life to take action on things I want to do. Later on, I felt my mind was going through some mental feedback like a electric guitar being played against the amplifier.
It sounds simple enough, but I can’t help feeling there’s a danger to this.
Here’s my Take of Things
He says (I’m paraphrasing here), if you feel bad towards your to do list, it’s because you’re experiencing this master-slave scenario where you feeling passive aggression. Hmmm. Does that means I don’t want to do it at all? There are going to be things I want to do, but it’s something that may be really annoying. I don’t really have to do it true, but if I don’t exert myself to move forward, the consequences could make me regret that decision to inactive. If I just do the things I want to do, I think I’ll end up doing abolutely nothing!
I know I don’t have to do anything. What I’m saying is all the decisions I’ve made is mine and if it was influenced by the past, or whatever, those decisions are still mine and I’m not going to blame anyone for my decisions. It’s not me being resentful to my parents, teachers or elders, it’s me being resentful to me! Period. I’m not sure if I’m making sense here, but to follow that model feels rather selfish. It’s like saying, “It’s my way or the highway. I don’t have to do anything unless I want to.” That’s a good life if you want to be a hermit and homeless.
Perhaps I misunderstood something, but that’s my take on this. I think this video makes more sense to me in solving my procrastination.
I think you’ve hit on something profound. To-do lists should be abandoned. It’s the difference between wanting to be, and becoming.
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As you cannot plan for disaster, you cannot plan for creativity. Inspiration is the invisible road the artist constantly pursues. Making a to-do list assures the hidden road will always be just that.
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macklc Reply:
August 18th, 2010 at 1:26 pm
I can see your point on that and your previous comment as well. Then, how do we cultivate creativity and inspiration without a list? I agree; A list leaves for no surprises or minimizes them. Perhaps that’s why I’ve had my struggles with them and get no results. Is there a way to have that spontaneity? My first thoughts is that you have to set a time for it right? Or do you just wait for it to come to you?
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The process of inspiration is something you’ll need to discover on your own. But I would love to read about your results.
My best advice to you is to not take my advice.
Abandoning to-do lists also means abandoning the advice of others; or more importantly, the advice of your heroes. You are on your own path to discover the self. To be the mentored means you’ll only ever become a pale comparison of the mentor.
“You must kill Gandhi to become Gandhi.”
This blog is your way of looking up at God and asking: “What is my destiny? Where am I headed? What do I need to do to get there?”
To-do lists and heroes rail against your own destiny. They needed to be shed.
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M Kitchen Reply:
August 19th, 2010 at 11:10 pm
Found this synchronistically: http://vimeo.com/14184396
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The “master / slave” relationship is something that has taken me nearly thirty six years to understand, and over the past few weeks (this week in particular) the message has been coming at me in a steady stream of synchronicities.
I think back over my years, and there aren’t many of them where I was ever truly free. There have been glimpses of freedom, though it slips away, and in retrospect, those are the moments, more than any other, where I’ve found the greatest inspiration. It’s like reaching a pinnacle, and after the decent thinking “that was a really great experience, I would like to have that experience (or one similar to it) again”. This goes back to following your muse.
In relation to what Matt mentioned above, I can see what he is saying about idols, and heroes, and the advice of others (even to do lists) as being the equivalent to the master / slave relation. You become a slave to the ideal you are striving for.
There is a place for a list. Like when you wish to bake a specific cake, you require specific ingredients, so when you go to the grocery store it would serve you well to have a list. However, when I make chili, I abandon all lists and let inspiration guide me. You get two different experiences.
Interesting you mention the “mental feedback like a electric guitar being played against the amplifier”. I get that when I am getting close to something. Normally when I approach a crossroads. In fact, I’m experiencing it now in regards to my own work. Very interesting.
You don’t HAVE to do anything. If you don’t realize your actions have consequences, you may unwittingly end up being a hermit and homeless. But if you do understand that your actions have consequences, you can CHOSE to take action to prevent becoming a hermit and homeless, or you could even CHOSE to become a hermit and homeless and embark on an excellent adventure.
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macklc Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 12:49 am
I’ve heard about the master and slave relationship for awhile, but never felt I was a slave or a master of anything. That could be the worst thing of all; not being aware of what’s really going on. It’s like being in the Matrix and not knowing it’s all an illusion. Or, being a lemming and not knowing you are lemming that will fall off a cliff for no apparent reason in a few years.
I can’t be aware of each choice I make or I would be thinking too much. I should be aware of the choices I think are important to me and know the consequences that will come out of it. How would I know which choices are important to me? For me that’s a matter or prayer and reflection. It helps to deal with the burden.
Freedom. Having a sausage egg McMuffin with hash browns and iced coffee with a loved one and going shopping afterwards.
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M Kitchen Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 1:10 am
Regarding the Matrix, Matt mentioned this to me some years ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ei7LqbYb8M
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I’ll raise my glass to hermitage and homelessness – or rather, quitting your day job and being a glutton for solitude. But that’s me. I am not here to interfere.
I don’t recommend this advice to anyone, but when I did away with conventional/cultural thought I was able to experience amazing things, like seeing my own true nature; I saw the face of God; I spoke with inter-dimensional beings and used my psychic abilities to pull $15,000 out of a Casino. ….And many, many, many more bizarre, unexplainable events that I’ve never read about or even considered to write down as a life goal. Yet, here I am, never more content than now; to have experienced ultimate truth. But that’s me being me, it’s no one’s path except my own.
Art is simply a vehicle to finding yourself.
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macklc Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 12:34 am
To follow your convictions and forget everything else is not the norm. I must say I’m impressed by your actions Matt. In my mind I’ve respected that you would challenge things and continue to experiment with a child-like wonder.
My path seems diverted being away from family and friends, yet Korea has been home. I’ve enjoyed each day here whether if the days went well or not. I’m thankful that I have a family that supports and loves me. It’s been good.
I’m not the bravest or most determined of sorts. I know I have a certain level of concentration or focus, but like any other human being I’m easily distracted. I’m just wondering how I can make it work on a regular basis.
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Matt Campbell Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 3:54 am
In the recent years, along with all the bizarro stuff, I’ve also experienced how important a strong connection with family, along with good behavior towards others needs to be in my life. Things like patience, humbleness, forgiveness, selflessness, thankfulness, love, kindness…. that’s gotten me a lot farther in my personal progress than anything else. In fact, I would say that is the ultimate truth- nothing more needs to be known. When I always choose to do the right thing, no matter how difficult the circumstances, no one can accuse me of doing wrong.
The bible is my resource in that regard.
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