Right to Action, Not Results
You have the right to work, but never to the fruits of your work.
This cornerstone teaching liberates us from anxiety about outcomes. We control only our actions, not their results. By focusing on righteous action rather than rewards, we free ourselves from the bondage of expectation. This principle has influenced thinkers from Thoreau to Gandhi, and aligns with modern cognitive behavioral approaches that emphasize focusing on what we can control.
You have the right to work, but never to the fruit of work. You should never engage in action for the sake of reward, nor should you long for inaction.
Mahatma Gandhi considered this verse the key to liberation, calling it the foundation of selfless service and the antidote to exploitation.
Bhagavad Gita
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- What the Bhagavad Gita says about letting go of results
You are entitled to act; you are not entitled to the result. The reason given is simple, not consoling: the action is yours and the outcome is not.