This last weekend we went camping and I was astonished at how much different and peaceful I felt. I found myself longing for more simplicity in my life. There was a time when laying underneath the stars was more important to me than how many visitors my website had last month. While that may sound superficial, I know I have followed my heart 100% to get where I am today.
The words of truth are always paradoxical.
-Lao Tzu
So today I am faced with the task of ‘getting back into the swing of things”, yet I don’t want to lose the peace I experienced this past weekend.
By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try. The world is beyond the winning.
-Lao Tzu
OK, so I shouldn’t hold onto anything, even peace. I should let it go – I get that. What I don’t get is how? How do you let go of things that feel so important that your life depends on it? My business almost feels like a spiritual journey at times, especially when I focus on our goal of contributing to our community. I get confused because sometimes I feel like I give more to others than I give to myself.
To realize that you do not understand is a virtue; Not to realize that you do not understand is a defect.
-Lao Tzu
Zen and the Art of Entrepreneurship
Great. So I don’t understand. Yet I am tasked with moving forward regardless. I must continue to build my business, I know in my heart it is what I was born to do. Yet I don’t know what to let go of, and I don’t understand what to do next, and am beginning to wonder WTH I am doing. I’m stuck.
“Let’s consider a reevaluation of the situation in which we assume that the stuckness now occurring, the zero of consciousness, isn’t the worst of all possible situations, but the best possible situation you could be in. After all, it’s exactly this stuckness that Zen Buddhists go to so much trouble to induce; through koans, deep breathing, sitting still and the like. Your mind is empty, you have a “hollow-flexible” attitude of “beginner’s mind”. You’re right at the front end of the train of knowledge, at the track of reality itself. Consider, for a change, that this is a moment to be not feared but cultivated. If your mind is truly, profoundly stuck, then you may be much better off than when it was loaded with ideas.
“The solution to the problem often at first seems unimportant or undesirable, but the state of stuckness allows it, in time, to assume its true importance. It seemed small because your previous rigid evaluation which led to the stuckness made it small.
“But now consider the fact that no matter how hard you try to hang on to it, this stuckness is bound to disappear. Your mind will naturally and freely move toward a solution. Unless you are a real master at staying stuck you can’t prevent this. The fear of stuckness is needless because the longer you stay stuck the more you see the Quality-reality that gets you unstuck every time. What’s really been getting you stuck is the running from the stuckness through the cars of your train of knowledge looking for a solution that is out in front of the train.
“Stuckness shouldn’t be avoided. It’s the psychic predecessor of all real understanding. An egoless acceptance of stuckness is a key to an understanding of all Quality, in mechanical work as in other endeavors.”
-Robert M. Pirsig, Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
OK, so maybe I am where I am supposed to be. But I don’t like it. This is the hardest part of being an entrepreneur. Knowing there is no one to follow, yet you might just lead yourself into disaster. The wall of self-doubt can be suffocating at times.
Where there is great doubt, there will be great awakening; small doubt, small awakening, no doubt, no awakening.
-Lao Tzu
Heh. Guess I am on the right track, then.
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Sparkplugging Founder Wendy Piersall is dang passionate about helping people start & grow a business while maintaining life balance (somehow). 
Easton Ellsworth is owner of 
For me I find that it’s all about living in the moment, or living in the now. The “letting go” is not worrying about step 27 of how to reach the goal or what could happen if such-and-such happened … just concentrating on the step that’s right in front of me today.
I’ve been taking some amazing classes from Marie Forleo on this, and I also recommend the book Working On Yourself Doesn’t Work by Ariel & Shya Kane.
(btw, I find that Eckhart Tolle’s books at too dense for me)
~ Elizabeth
This is an interesting take on entrepreneurship, Wendy.
I think that it’s only natural to feel a touch of self doubt as we aim to create something new in our careers.
No successful entrepreneur has ever born who wasn’t willing to take risks.
I’m sure they even doubt themselves from time to time too.
I guess the difference is that they harness the fear and turn it to their advantage- by grabbing each business opportunity and running with it.
This is going to sound incredibly naive, but I would have thought that once a person got to the level you are at things would get a lot easier!
I guess that shows that I still have a lot to learn.
Trishas last blog post..Review: High Heels to Hormones: A Woman’s Guide to Spine Care
This stuckness is absolutely a potential part of growth in a big way. There is a book by the expert on navigating transitions William Bridges that has a good look at this that I’ve found useful as a therapist, called the Way of Transition. Some of the Lao Tzu reminds me of Socrates’ idea that the realization of our ignorance is knowledge.
Thanks for the post.
Michael@ Awareness * Connections last blog post..Reference: The Attention Principle
I am so glad to hear you went camping Wendy! I know how important it was to all of us back then. I wonder how many people from the old days are still in touch the spiritual in nature, now that we are all grown up?
My husband and I spend from waking to sleeping online, mostly…we made a commitment to each other to go hiking once a week (usually Saturdays, but when you work from home like we do, it could be any day), and to have an actual 3-day minimum camping trip every three weeks.
It’s not every weekend and all vacations like it used to be for me, but I don’t like the feeling of getting back and having everything all backed up…so it’s a compromise.
jillys last blog post..Hotels and the Internet
Wow, Wendy, this is a great post. The quote you ended with is profound – and reminds me, I’m where I’m supposed to be. Thanks for the “oh!” moment.
Wendy thank you for sharing your thoughts on a subject that is dear to my own heart.
I find my online life so exciting and addictive that it became easy to neglect the other sides of me that needed nurturing too. I tend to “pop online” just to “check this” or “take a look at that” at every spare moment – only to find myself still there hours later having been caught up AGAIN!
I had to get tough with myself for my own good. Two days per week I only allow myself one hour online to check emails/stats /urgent issues (I even use a timer lol) and the rest of the time on those two days is spent nurturing myself and my family – getting out side my office for real sunlight and fresh air and doing the things in life that I have neglected.
The result – more productive work time and a happier me!
I agree that the other side of stuck is euphoric, the woe, the wonder and the drama ( if i have anything to do with it ) always provide insight and clarity
you ask wonderful questions wendy
Great way of looking at things. I can totally relate because I feel stuck too. What is the next step? So many choices and it’s unclear what is the right one for everyone involved.
I’m trying not to think about it too much, but the trying not to think about it is wearing me out.
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I hear the term a lot – “zen”, what is it exactly and how one helps?
I guess there’s going to be an influx of “zen” related blogs lately, just like is in the MMO niche or “blogging” niche.
I have one myself… lol
Oh but there ARE people to follow, even as an entrepreneur. Keep looking, reading, talking with people you admire. See a blog and write directly to the author – find out what he or she did to get so successful. And don’t focus just in your own industry – look around to find those whose success is where you want to be. Hey, we all love giving advice, so ask for some and you shall receive.
Best,
Charles Seymour Jr
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