“Let go of the idea that gentle, relaxed people can’t be superachievers”

I’m finally reading the classic “Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff…And It’s All Small Stuff” by Richard Carlson just because it was there, and this section stood out to me:

Let go of the idea that gentle, relaxed people can’t be superachievers

One of the major reasons so many of us remain hurried, frightened, and competitive, and continue to live life as if it were one giant emergency, is our fear that if we were to become more peaceful and loving, we would suddenly stop achieving our goals. We would become lazy and apathetic.

You can put this fear to rest by realizing that the opposite is actually true. Fearful, frantic thinking takes an enormous amount of energy and drains the creativity and motivation from our lives. When you are fearful or frantic, you literally immobilize yourself from your greatest potential, not to mention enjoyment. Any success that you do have is despite your fear, not because of it.

[…] I have learned the important lesson: When you have what you want (inner peace), you are less distracted by your wants, needs, desires, and concerns. It’s thus easier to concentrate, focus, achieve your goals, and to give back to others.

I want to believe that’s true, but the line between “gentle and relaxed” vs. “lazy and apathetic” is not obvious. I worry about using “I’m being gentle and relaxed” to rationalize not pushing myself to grow.

How can I find both? Email me if you have thoughts.