Vishen LakhianiFounder of Mindvalley | NYT Bestselling Author | Transforming Lives Globally

Why being 'serious' at work doesn't work #shorts

4 Nov 2022 · 1 min

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A short monologue by Vishen Lakhiani arguing that the common belief ‘‘you must be serious to succeed’’ is misleading. He describes how the word “serious” feels contracting and counterproductive, contrasts seriousness with sincerity (a distinction he attributes to Alan Watts), and promotes being sincere—committed, devoted, attentive, and loving about work—without making it overly heavy or significant.

Chapters

The biggest lie that we have ever been told or sold in our lives and businesses is that we have to be serious to be successful. Literally. I heard for years, you better get serious about your health. If you are a serious entrepreneur, you would do this. If you want to be in a serious relationship, you'll show up this way. And for me, language is super important. And when I hear the word serious, I contract. I get small. My butthole puckers up like I don't want to take action when I'm feeling overly serious. Can anybody resonate with this? Does the word serious feel contracting to you? And this is the opposite of serious, is not to be aimless or reckless or not have any idea or goal or plan or whatever you want to do. The opposite of serious, in my world, and this is a distinction that I originally got from Alan Watts, is sincere. The opposite of serious is sincere. I want to be sincere about my work. I want to be committed. I want to be devoted. I want to pay attention. I want to pour my love and my service into my work. But I don't want to take it overly seriously. I don't want to make it overly significant.