Introduction: A Call to Action

For a long time, I felt that something was missing in my approach to performance. I was deeply engaged in optimizing my physiology, understanding my emotions and feelings, and building habits that supported growth, but at the level of performance, I struggled. It felt as if, despite all my efforts, I wasn’t completing the cycle of action. And that’s when I stumbled upon Swami Vivekananda’s Karma Yoga. This book has had a profound impact on me, bringing clarity to my thoughts on performance and work, and transforming the way I approach action itself.

The Influence of Karma Yoga: Work as a Path to Spirituality

Vivekananda’s teachings in Karma Yoga revealed something incredibly powerful to me: work is not just a means to an end but a spiritual practice in itself. For someone like me, who has always been deeply introspective, this idea was revolutionary. He writes, “The secret of Karma Yoga, which is to perform actions without any desire for their fruits, is taught by the Bhagavad Gita.” This resonated deeply with me. I realized that my work—whether it’s writing a book, running a project, or just going about daily tasks—can be an expression of spirituality if I approach it with the right mindset.

Swami Vivekananda emphasizes that we must be detached from the outcomes of our actions. “You have the right to work, but not to the fruits thereof,” he echoes from the Bhagavad Gita. This simple truth made me rethink how I approach performance. Rather than getting bogged down by the results or how things might turn out, I needed to focus on doing, on action itself as the ultimate goal.

Physiology, Emotions, and Thoughts: The Layers of Well-Being

At a physiological level, I had already spent a lot of time experimenting—breathwork, cold plunges, sauna sessions, workouts involving kettlebells, yoga, and even animal flow techniques. These practices helped me refine my body’s response to various stimuli. Similarly, in emotions and feelings, I had learned to regulate my neurochemical states, being mindful of what triggers certain emotions and how to process them from the top down, without relying on external supplements. Vivekananda’s teachings reinforced the idea that mastering the body is just one part of the spiritual journey.

His thoughts on mental discipline were particularly impactful for me. Vivekananda speaks to the importance of concentration and how focused thought is a key part of any kind of success. He once said, “Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life—think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success, and this is the way great spiritual giants are produced.” His words served as a reminder to stop dispersing my energy across too many things and to focus on executing, finishing, and completing the action I had set out to perform.

Habits and Performance: The Power of Ultradian Rhythms

Swami Vivekananda’s concept of Karma Yoga also ties into my understanding of habits and performance. He emphasizes the importance of consistency and discipline in one’s actions. In my personal life, I’ve followed the ultradian rhythm—structured periods of high performance followed by rest. While this rhythm worked seamlessly when I was running communities and interacting with various people every day, I found it difficult to sustain once I started working alone. Vivekananda’s teachings reminded me that action itself should be enough. “Inaction is the greatest sin,” he says. This gave me the final push to ensure that I keep moving forward, regardless of external validation or interaction.

A Global Perspective: Karma Yoga for the Future

One of the reasons I connect so deeply with Swami Vivekananda is his global perspective on spirituality and labor. He didn’t just preach ideas for the Indian context—he brought Eastern philosophies to the West and reshaped how people understood spirituality and work. His famous speech at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 introduced the world to Indian thought in a way that had never been done before. His ability to distill these ancient teachings into something accessible and practical for a Western audience is something I admire deeply. It also gives me hope that our work, like The Internet of Value, which draws on both ancient wisdom and modern systems, can create a similar bridge for the future.

I love how Vivekananda reframed Karma Yoga as a way to engage with the world actively, rather than retreating from it. He spoke of Karma Yogis as those who use work as a means for self-realization and ultimately spiritual growth. In today’s context, I see this reflected in the skill-based communities and labor unions of the future—globally connected and actively working towards equity and well-being. “All the work that we do is an offering to the divine,” he said, and this idea has empowered me to view every project I take on as an offering, rather than a burden.

Conclusion: Vivekananda’s Lasting Influence

Swami Vivekananda’s life and teachings have provided me with the clarity and direction I needed to reframe my understanding of performance. Reading Karma Yoga has been like receiving a final push towards action, reminding me that work itself is a form of worship and spiritual practice. His philosophy of engaging with the world through purposeful, detached action has helped me align my thoughts, habits, and physiological experiments with the work I am meant to do. And for that, I will always be deeply grateful.