Entrepreneurs must focus on action rather than outcomes

My hands were shaking, my legs felt wobbly, my heart was pounding, and I had a strange dryness in my throat — this was on a cold November evening in 2002, as I waited backstage to address a huge gathering in Bangalore IT.com (now, Bangalore Tech Summit) which included then Union IT minister Arun Shourie. This was my first presentation to such eminent figures, and a large audience. We were sharing our ideas on the concept of a state-wide assessment programme in my role as the Co-founder & CEO, MeritTrac.

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As I was struggling to compose myself, I started having the following conversation with myself:

Q1: What am I most worried about?

A: Making a positive impression on Shourie and the key government officials, so that MeritTrac could get the deal to conduct these State-wide assessments

Q2: Am I confident of the preparations that I have made for this presentation?

A: Yes – satisfied with the efforts that I have put in... I think we have left no stone un-turned.

Q3: What choices do I have now?

A: Choice #1 — run away!

Choice #2 — go on the stage with this fear and make a mess of the presentation.

Choice #3 — go on the stage with the confidence that I have put in my best efforts, do my best, enjoy the moment, and discard all the worries of the outcomes — whatever is willed to happen, will happen...!

As soon as I focussed on Choice #3, I distinctly remember my fears vanishing, leaving behind a lightness in my heart, positive energy in my being, and a wave of calmness in my head… and the presentation went off very well.

Being young not as mature as I am today, and not oriented to the truths of the Bhagavad Gita, I had unwittingly invoked the power of Chapter 2, verse 47 of the Bhagavad Gita:

Karmanye vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana,

Ma Karmaphalaheturbhurma Te Sangostvakarmani

"You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, nor be attached to inaction."

This verse has significant relevance to entrepreneurship as it emphasises the importance of focusing on action rather than outcomes. It suggests that while entrepreneurs like us have a right to pursue our swadharma, we should focus on performing our duties to the best of our abilities, without worrying about the results. This helps us avoid stress and anxiety and maintain a more balanced and mindful approach to business. The mark of an entrepreneur is the ability to make decisions in ambiguous situations and take risks even when the outcome is uncertain. This shloka guides us in taking such decisions in the right way without being swayed by the attachment to outcomes.

Detachment is another important principle in this verse. It does not imply being apathetic or indifferent to the results of one's actions. Instead, it means recognising that we are responsible for our actions, but the results are not entirely within our control. When we realise and practice this differentiation between action and results, we are able make substantial progress in our inner entrepreneurial journey. Often, we get mixed up between detachment and inaction as well. Our ability to act at the right time makes all the difference.

I have also realised that it is easier to persevere and yet stay detached when there is a larger selfless purpose at play. As entrepreneurs, we navigate the rocky terrain, often at great personal risk and attempt to scale the peak. However, if the peak is not just about personal gains, but is for the greater good, one feels far more motivated to keep trying without worrying about failures.

Finally, the Bhagavad Gita also emphasises this phrase "Na ham karta, Hari karta" that can be translated to "I am not the doer, Hari (God) is the doer." It means that while we may take actions in our lives, ultimately, the results of those actions are determined by a higher power. It encourages humility and detachment from one’s ego, as well as surrendering to the will of that higher power. This serves as a reminder to let go of attachment to the results of our actions, and to focus on doing our best without being overly attached to the outcome.

In that fleeting moment in 2002, when I resolved to give up my attachment to the results (bagging the contract), avoided getting caught in the trap of inaction (of running away) and focussed on my duty (to deliver the presentation) — I remember a powerful feeling of liberation. Over these years, whenever I have been engulfed with anxiety, fear, or attachment to outcomes (for entrepreneurs this is familiar territory indeed), I have tried to bring my mind back into calmness by reflecting on that moment and the power of this shloka.

Now imagine if we were to live every moment of our lives in that space of action and detachment.

(Madan Padaki is Co-founder, Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship, and President, TiE Bangalore)

(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH)