BuddhistCatholicContemplativeEvangelicalGeneral ChristianHinduJewishLatter-day SaintMuslimNew VisionsProgressive Christian
Beliefs
- Buddhist
- Catholic
- Contemplative
- Evangelical
- General Christian
- Hindu
- Jewish
- Latter-day Saint
- More Voices
- Muslim
- New Visions
- Pagan
- Progressive Christian
Topics
- Religion News
- Food and Religion
- Sports and Religion
- Religious Art
- Religious Music and Entertainment
- Religious Events
- History and Religion
- Style and Religion
- Politics and Religion
- Women in Religion
- Recreation Outdoors and Religion
- Business Finance and Religion
- Careers Workplace and Religion
- Education and Religion
- Family Parenting and Religion
- Health Fitness and Religion
- Home and Religion
- Relationships and Religion
- Technology and Religion
- Travel and Religion
Columnists
- Buddhist Columnists
- Business Finance and Religion Columnists
- Careers Workplace and Religion Columnists
- Catholic Columnists
- Contemplative Columnists
- Education and Religion Columnists
- Evangelists Columnists
- Family Parenting and Religion Columnists
- General Christian Columnists
- Health Fitness and Religion Columnists
- Hindu Columnists
- History and Religion Columnists
- Home and Religion Columnists
- Jewish Columnists
- More Voices Columnists
- Latter Day Columnists
- Muslim Columnists
- New Visions Columnists
- Nonreligious Columnists
- Pagan Columnists
- Politics and Religion Columnists
- Progressive Columnists
- Recreation Outdoors and Religion Columnists
- Relationships and Religion Columnists
- Religion News Columnists
- Religious Art Columnists
- Religious Events Columnists
- Religious Music and Entertainment Columnists
- Sports and Religion Columnists
- Style and Religion Columnists
- Technology and Religion Columnists
- Travel and Religion Columnists
- Women in Religion Columnists
Resource Library
- 2026 Calendar
- Library of World Religions
- The 100 Most Holy Places on Earth
- Patheos Answers
- Podcasts
- Videos
- Faith Leaders Database
- Anglican Episcopalian
- Bahai
- Baptist
- Buddhism
- Christianity
- Confucianism
- Eastern Orthodoxy
- Hinduism
- Holiness and Pentecostal
- ISKCON
- Islam
- Judaism
- Lutheran
- Methodist
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- New Age
- Paganism
- Presbytarian and Reformed
- Protestantism
- Religion Behind the Scenes
- Roman Catholic
- Scientology
- Shia Islam
- Sikhism
- Sufism
- Sunni Islam
- Taoism
- Zen
- See all religions
Research Tools
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support
- Trending:
- Forgiveness
- |
- Marriage
- |
- Consciousness
- |
- Death Penalty
- |
- Election
- |
- Halloween
Purpose and Possibility
- Home
- New Visions
- Let go of the need to need
Let go of the need to need
Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 8:29 pm by Guest Contributor
Let go of the need to need 2015-03-13T20:29:40-06:00 Guest Contributor
Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.
If you’re worried about making it pay off, it won’t pay off. If you’re consumed with the fear that you’re wasting your time, then you are indeed wasting your time.
When you try to force your efforts to get results, you end up pushing those results away. Why is that? It’s simple. By very definition, whatever you need, you don’t have. So when you put your energy into needing, you are directing your energy away from having. By desperately needing a particular outcome, you’re practically guaranteeing that you do not achieve that outcome.
So how do you get beyond the need to need? How to you direct your focus away from the fear of failure?
Begin with gratitude. Be thankful and downright thrilled for the opportunity to be in the moment and to be doing what you’re doing. Instead of wishing and hoping and needing some particular outcome, celebrate the experience of making something happen, whatever that something turns out to be.
Then, focus on your performance and execution, and on the rhythm and flow of what you’re doing. Concern yourself with doing your very best in each moment, and allow yourself to feel the fulfillment that the effort itself brings. Consider how miraculous and amazing it is that you can express yourself and make a difference. The outcome is in a future that does not exist, so right now that outcome really has no meaning. What does have meaning is the experience of living and the experience of this part of your journey.
By all means, live with the very highest of intentions and expectations. But don’t let yourself be pulled down by need and desperation. Find real joy and fulfillment right where you are, for that’s precisely what will ensure that you get where you have chosen to go.
Previous Post

January 14, 2015
Love is why
Next Post

January 16, 2015 Five techniques for getting past resentment
Browse Our Archives
Select a Category Uncategorized
Select a Month January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 June 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013
TAKE THE
Religious Wisdom Quiz
Who is commended in 3 John for walking in the truth?
Select your answer to see how you score.
Gaius Philemon Diotrephes Demetrius
Related posts from Purpose and Possibility
TRENDING AT PATHEOS New Visions
Did Prayer Cure His Cancer? Or Was It...
At 4 AM one morning, Joshua W. Brown’s wife awoke to a...
8 Ways a Near-Death Experience Rewires the Soul
Does Consciousness Survive Physical Death? After 50 Years of Research, Dr. Raymond...
Holy Longing: What Our Restlessness Is Telling Us
“One can find so many pains when the rain is falling.” -John...
What this is NOT about. This blog is definitely not about...
Who said the Israelites were God’s chosen? That’s right, they did. Who...
The Spirit World Is the Real World: God...
A Monk’s Wisdom on Body and Spirit I sit with Brother Martin...
view all New Visions blogs
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support
- About Us
- 2026 Calendar
- Videos
- Podcasts
- Library of World Religions
- Faith In Media Tracker
- Advertise With Us
- Write for Us
- Privacy Policy
- Terms of Service
- Do Not Sell My Data
- Contact Us
- Radiant Digital
- Manage Newsletter Subscriptions
- Unsubscribe From Notifications
- Sitemap
Copyright 2008-2026, Patheos. All rights reserved.
Subscription Support Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In






