New sources of motivation to replace motivation via fear

Last August I attended a 10-day Vipassana meditation course as taught by Goenka. It was the best experience of my life. I have continued to practice meditation for the past year, but I am having difficulty adjusting to my new outlook on life, especially in regards to my career.

I’m a 27 year-old, self-employed computer consultant for small businesses. I have been for the past 8 years. As with any small business, I have had my ups and downs. In the past when I would reach a low point, the fear of being broke would set me straight. It was not the healthiest of processes, but it seemed to work for me. I will be the first to admit that my business is not as streamlined as it could be, but that is not my concern with this post.

My concern with this post is in regards to successfully incorporating my more equanimous state of mind into my career. I’m more relaxed. I’m more content more of the time. I’m more present to such a degree that fear does not affect me as it did before. The overwhelming feeling of fear that plagued my past does not rear its ugly head anymore.

Instead of “kicking it into gear” when the going gets tough, I find myself more apt to go with the flow. That sudden burst of urgency created by fear in the past is not there. I do realize that a degree of fear is still a part of my career (fear in regards to growing my business), but the acute fear is not.

My question is… what can I do to attain that same level of motivation that the acute fear once provided me? What’s a healthier way for someone who meditates to remain motivated? Right now, my mind is in a place where I have no problem leisurely spending time, whereas before, it seemed I was more often in ‘go-go-go’, ‘more-more-more’ modes.

P.S. I’m attending my second 10-day retreat in July (next month).

 

Sorry i don't have the answer to your question, i don't have stress through something like work, its just that my mind seems like its completely polluted at the moment and id like to get rid of that pollution before i go back to school. its my fear of what our world looks like to me and what the politics and social structure is going to be like in the next few decades. im just student trapped out side of school for the mean time now, and ive definitely seen my downs the past 2 years, definitely not as severe as most the people on here but the altered percetption i inherited from doing mushrooms a year ago. that experience was a huge set back but it was one that needed to happen i feel like now. Sorry for my grammar, i have problems stringing sentances together while keeping my thoughts straight and to the real point, i lose myself contastnatly and often wonder what the spitual world of meditation and could do for my "stress" and anxiety levels along with my mental health, as well as feeling like this world has lost its balance which it has been known for so famously the past 6 billlion years (20 000 from when humans came along). That 10 day retreat thing sounds nice, i always wonder about that sort of thing but never get educated on it. im sick of googling for research.

 

It's probable that this thread is too old and you'll never see this response, but I don't mind wasting time. You've posed a difficult question to answer, in some regards, but in other regards, the answer may be simple. I generally use my responsibility to others (co-workers, customers, management) to motivate myself when I find myself wanting to stay in bed for a couple more hours. When I had my own business, I enjoyed what I was doing (creating) and didn't really need fear to keep me going, even though I was living on the edge of financial failure most of the time. I think that is the key that we should all be looking for. If you enjoy what you are doing, you will be anticipating the future with a good attitude. If not, I think we all know where that leads.

The main objective seems to be to get to the point where you are experiencing/immersed in what is happening now. As long as you are there and aren't worrying about the future nor stewing about the past, you should be golden. That's all I got for now.