Yesterday, my wife and I were listening to a radio commentator asking his audience if they took the Christmas Tree down before or after the new year. We had for many years taken it down before the new year. At times, it was a scramble to do so, depending on how busy we were with other activities. The main reason was this thought, passed down from generations, that one does not take anything old into the new year. This, of course, referred to the tree, not the writer of this blog!

For years, I was told that it brought bad luck.

What I learned yesterday was new information from my wife’s mother that the only reason she took it down early was because it was always a live tree, and since the house was filled with smokers, she worried that the drying tree would catch on fire. The new year would start in a bad way.

Here, we had some half-truth idea of why taking the tree down early was important, but we never really understood the real truth/reason and yet conducted our affairs according to this believed truth. How many more of these half-truths are there that I act accordingly to?

That was a great question, and that was my morning reflection while out and about with my dog, Willow.

What are some mistruths often told to be true about producing results or being successful that people believe to be true and then wonder why they are not getting the results they wanted?

What does this have to do with Wu wei? Everything and nothing. (This blog is the third in a series on Wu wei. To start at the beginning, click here.)

Here is a list that came up for me. As you read them, see if some of them were ones that you believed to be true and act accordingly.

1. Hard work always guarantees success: “Hard” is subjective. Work or action is important, but success also involves other factors, including strategic planning, networking, conditions, and sometimes luck (or the perception of luck). Wu wei, in its very definition, states that there has to be an action. Doing means action.

2. Success comes in an instant: Culturally, we have become accustomed to getting instant answers and solutions to our problems. Watch any ad on our social networks, which include TV, and you will see the call to action and “if you act NOW.” You get the picture. Many believe success happens overnight. It usually takes a lot of time, patience, and consistent effort. When we see someone achieve something, we often forget the many incremental steps, forward and backward, to get what we see as “overnight success.” Wu wei follows the guidelines of only looking for the next step. Worrying about the next ten or the results is too much effort. Only look for and do the next step.

3. Mistakes mean failure: People often equate mistakes as failures when they are just stepping stones to improving and learning. There is no such thing as failure. It’s a concept. Any outcome is only information. Edison never considered the 10,000 filament tries to be failures. They were telling him the 10,000 ways it was not working. He, of course, found the right combination, and now we have the light bulb.

4. More hours equals more success: The fallacy that working longer hours leads to more success or better outcomes doesn’t consider the quality or productivity of the work. I found the opposite with Wu wei. Results were being achieved in less time, and I noticed that whatever energy I was using at the moment while working on achieving a result was being driven 100% in the direction of producing the results. There was no time spent wondering if I was doing the right thing, no thought, no judgments, just doing. I would say my energy was used efficiently, producing a result with less effort, less stress and less time.

5. You have to be serious to succeed: Serious about what? Growing up and in school, in spite of good marks, I was often told that I didn’t take myself seriously. Being the class clown will do that for you. If I only applied myself, I would be able to do great things, including making lots of money. So I became serious and miserable and was told to lighten up! I couldn’t win!!! In effortless doing, you find a balance. There is a playful aspect to everything that I do. You can say that I am serious about playing.

6. Success is money and position: A common myth links high-paying jobs and senior positions directly with success. My parents bestowed that one on me, and the practice of comparing where I am with others deemed my equal. This is not my parent’s fault. They were doing their best, given their thinking at the time. My mother, before she passed, told me that, in reflection, she would have done things differently. I reminded her that she couldn’t have. In reflection, we get trapped into the should have, could have, would have game till we die, and there is too much living to do that we are missing if we continue down that path. What I have learned is that success can vary from person to person. There is no one right picture of success, and the truth is that success is another concept.

7. Success is an end destination: This frames life as a binary process rather than continuous growth and development. We seem to always go after something, including things that are not physical, like more happiness, being more spiritual, more being.

Those are only seven mistruths about success or achievement. Can you think of more?

When I came across the Understanding of the Three Principles and how it pointed to how we innocently misuse the creative energy of thought and saw how Wu wei aligned with this understanding, I knew our ancient teachers were on to something.

In following the principles of Wu wei, success is not necessarily measured by external achievements, wealth, or status, but rather by living in harmony with the natural order of things. It involves letting go of the desire for control and allowing events to unfold organically. Success, from a Wu wei perspective, may be more about being in the right place at the right time, responding to situations with spontaneity and authenticity, and embracing the ebb and flow of life.

In essence, Wu wei suggests that true success comes from aligning oneself with the inherent rhythm and flow of the Tao rather than striving excessively to impose one’s will on the world. It’s about finding a balance between action and non-action, exerting effort when necessary, and recognizing when to step back and allow things to happen naturally. Success, in this context, is more about being in tune with the Tao and living in a way that is in accord with the fundamental principles of nature.

In my next post, I will describe in more detail the actions and non-actions I took to complete all the “stuff” that needed to be done with less effort, less stress, and peace of mind.

I am curious about your thinking and experience with success. Is it hard work or effortless? Please share your thoughts by commenting below.

Hang in there, and see you next post.

Cheers,