Most people relate to their spiritual growth exactly the same way they relate to their job, their marriage, or their health.
They are working it as a 9 to 5… 1
They seem to do it for “The Man”, meaning whoever they think is watching, whoever they think has the power.
They are biding their time, surviving life.
They are looking for shortcuts, tricks, miracles. The 4-hour workweek. The 4-hour chef. The 4-hour whatever…
They look for excuses in their past lives, in the subconscious, in their beliefs, in the government, in racial discrimination.
They never ever allow themselves to own up to the fact that it is them (and NONE OF THOSE they assign cause to,) that they run their own lives, they make the decisions, and their decisions have been to take shortcuts and work life as a 9 to five.
They alternately admire or hate people who achieve, who have what they work for, who seem happy, pretty, successful… as if a great life were a right not a privilege.
9-5 spirituality is what you see in people going to services on the day their religion is holding their services… Friday, Saturday, Sunday?
It’s all a pretense, it is all for show: show The Man you are trying.
Now, when I am “The Man”, i.e. their hour of worship happens to be my coaching call, I get depressed. I get bitter taste in my mouth, and I have to fight back the tears.
You are where your 9 to 5 mentality has gotten you. Your state of mind, your success, your health are all indicators of what you have earned… the bare minimum to survive. Barely.
When you are given the opportunity to work and have something to show for your work, you quickly disappear, get busy, find another coach or teacher.
Like the kid who claimed he wanted to work for free for me teaching him marketing. After 5 days he took a job that made it impossible to continue with me… That is you.
Giving up a future for the comfort and familiarity of today.
Giving up an exciting and terrifying life for the safety of a 10 by 10 prison cell.
Congratulations. The salary fits your output.
There is justice in the Universe.
If you don’t like what you are getting out of life, you may consider putting more into it…
nine-to-five
[nahyn-tuh-fahyv] Show IPA
adjective Informal.
1.
of, pertaining to, or during the workday, especially the hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. when offices are characteristically open for business: the nine-to-five grind.
2.
of, reflecting, or exhibiting a lack of willingness to work beyond the required amount of time or with more than minimal effort: With your nine-to-five mentality, you’ll never get a promotion.
Origin:
1955–60
