UdyamGita

There are steps involved in making a business successful. When one starts a business, it is not easy to dedicate oneself completely to it, as this was neither practiced nor done earlier.

First, convince the intellect that execution of the business is the ultimate goal. There should be no looking around or getting distracted at this stage. Tell the intellect about all the good things that happen through entrepreneurship, its glory, its scope, and its impact. With this, one should be able to control the mind and thereby the senses, and focus on business execution.

If one is not able to convince the intellect and hence not able to dedicate time, effort, and mind, then ensure that the thought of the business and its related tasks is always running in the back of the mind. When this happens, the entrepreneur will no longer find the same fun or joy in the activities he used to enjoy earlier. Slowly, he will start withdrawing from such activities and focus more on the business.

If even this is not happening, one can start by creating a day wise plan of actions and try to complete those tasks. Slowly start adding more tasks or expand the horizon over a period of time, and thus become completely focused on the business.

Even if one is not able to follow the plan of action, then whatever he does in a day, let him think that he is dedicating his day and its results to the business. If he has spent a day without working much and has spent time and effort on unwanted things, the guilt will start piling up, telling him that he is not doing enough to reach his goal. That guilt will gradually push him to spend his day more productively.

Slowly, this becomes a habit. He will be able to jot down daily tasks and complete them without distractions. When he is able to consistently tick off all the daily tasks, he gets completely submerged in the business and its activities, and wherever he goes, he will be thinking about it. Now he will enjoy business related tasks more than any other activities. The goal and vision keep him motivated and focused. At this stage, his senses, mind, and intellect are aligned, and he is set on the path of success.

While doing the tasks, they should not be mechanical. One should gain and apply knowledge while performing them. Visualizing the tasks before executing them, especially high risk tasks such as new product launches, dealing with competitors, and addressing new market needs, can yield better results. After giving the best one can, leave the result to the market and customers. Let them decide what they want, as this will help fine tune the approach. Do not try to dictate results, as that can be counter productive and may damage the reputation of both the business and the entrepreneur.

Krishna now offers Arjun a graded path—not an all-or-nothing demand.

If complete absorption is difficult, practice.

If practice feels impossible, act.

If even action feels inconsistent, renounce attachment to outcomes.

Krishna does not reject effort at any level. He simply shows that every sincere step upward leads to peace, and that peace grows as attachment to results dissolves.

This is not spiritual idealism—it is practical compassion.

Business Insight

Entrepreneurship also unfolds in layers of commitment.

At the highest level, the founder’s mind, intellect, and identity are fully invested in the business. Execution becomes the ultimate goal—there is no distraction, no plan B.

But this level of immersion does not happen overnight.

So the Gita offers a progression that maps perfectly to a founder’s journey:

1. Convince the intellect first: Tell your intellect why entrepreneurship matters—its impact, dignity, long-term value, and scope. When the intellect is convinced, the mind and senses gradually fall in line.
2. If full focus is not possible, keep the business running in the background: Let business-related thoughts stay alive at the back of the mind. Over time, old distractions lose their charm. The founder naturally withdraws from activities that do not serve the vision.
3. If even that is difficult, move to disciplined action: Create simple, day-wise action plans. Complete tasks—no matter how small. Expand the horizon slowly. Momentum builds focus.
4. If discipline breaks, dedicate outcomes: Whatever the day brings—success or waste—mentally offer it to the business. The resulting discomfort or guilt becomes a powerful self-correcting force, pushing the founder back toward productive effort.

This ladder ensures no founder is excluded. Everyone can start—exactly where they are.

Leadership Lesson

Great leaders are not born fully aligned. Alignment is trained.

Over time, disciplined action becomes habit. Habit becomes identity. Identity becomes joy.

Eventually, the founder starts enjoying business challenges more than old pleasures. Vision energizes effort. Mind, senses, and intellect synchronize.

Yet Krishna adds a critical safeguard:

Do not become mechanical.

Execution must be infused with learning, awareness, and intelligent visualization—especially in high-risk decisions like new product launches, competitive moves, or entering new markets.

And finally comes the most difficult leadership act:

Let go of results.

Markets and customers—not founders—decide outcomes. Trying to force results damages judgment, reputation, and long-term trust.

Leaders who act sincerely and release control gain peace—and clarity.

Key Takeaways

• Entrepreneurial focus develops in stages—absorption is trained, not forced.
• Convince the intellect first; discipline follows naturally.
• When focus fails, fall back on action. When action fails, release outcomes.
• Habitual execution eventually turns effort into enjoyment.
• Execution without learning is mechanical; learning without execution is theoretical.
• Peace and clarity arise when results are surrendered to the market.