Why Detachment from Results Brings even Better Results

Mind Racing at 2 A.M.? Read This

It is well known that many leaders, particularly founders and senior executives, often find themselves thinking through their responsibilities late into the night. These are not dramatic moments; they are simply the natural by-product of carrying work that affects a great many people.

When decisions shape teams, revenue, relationships, and future opportunities, it is understandable that the mind continues to engage with them after formal working hours have ended.

Goals, projections, and outcomes are part of leadership, yet the constant attention given to them can create a kind of mental congestion that interferes with clear action. It creates anxiety and unpleasant emotional states that rob you from your best work.

A Deeper Understanding

I had the chance to meet my teacher, Govind das, this Friday, to invite him to be on the panel of Experts in Residence of my LeadWithEASE Circle for leaders, and he very kindly agreed

I was trying to deepen my understanding of nishkama karma yoga (acting without attachment to results.) I was asking him some questions on its practical implementation challenges I see many of us face.

I presented that while nishkama karma yoga is very calming and actually brings the best performance in us, it is hard not to think about results, as every activity we do is motivated by an outcome we want to achieve.

He said that it is correct and gave a further nuanced application of the Bhagavad Gita verse 2.47 that is most popular across the world.

karmany evadhikaras tema phalesu kadacana ma karma-phala-hetur bhurma te sango 'stv akarmani

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, and never be attached to not doing your duty.

The verse is often presented in an overly simplified manner, as though it instructs one to disregard results entirely. That, he pointed out, is not what the teaching intends.

Leaders cannot afford to ignore results; organizations run on measurable outcomes, and every strategic decision is made with certain objectives in view. Rather, the verse highlights a more subtle point—when the mind becomes absorbed in the outcome, the quality of the action begins to diminish. One’s attention drifts toward imagined futures instead of the task that requires full engagement right now, that requires upskilling, that requires bringing our full self to it.

How Outcome-Preoccupation Weakens Action

This happens frequently in leadership roles. A founder may be in the middle of an important meeting, yet a portion of his mind is already tied to the upcoming quarter’s numbers. A manager may be shaping a plan, but the fear of whether it will satisfy stakeholders interrupts her ability to think it through.

The pressure to “get results” creates a state in which the work is no longer done with steadiness. Instead, it is performed with divided attention and resulting emotional dysregulation, which invariably weakens ability and judgment. The verse, therefore, serves as a reminder: do not let the expectation of a result disturb the quality of the action that must produce that result.

Bottled Emotions and the Leader’s Inner Pressure

This perspective also sheds light on why leaders often feel emotionally bottled up. Much of the internal strain arises from holding multiple outcomes in mind simultaneously—targets, timelines, expectations, possibilities of failure or delay. When these accumulate, they create a continuous background pressure that does not easily settle.

By returning the mind to the immediate work, the pressure begins to reduce. One attends to what is in one’s control and allows the uncontrollable aspects of the future to unfold over time. This is not avoidance; it is a disciplined method for preserving mental energy and improving effectiveness.

The Outcomes are Not In Your Control Anyway

The Bhagavad Gita also describes the 5 factors of action in the verses 18.14-18.18 that help one understand they are not the lone doers and thus the outcomes are not fully in their control. This protects one from the pressures that come with the ego of sole doership and helps one relax, work better, and actually get better outcomes.

Adhiṣṭhāna: the body or physical field where action takes place.
Kartā: the sense of the doer, the individual agent who initiates action.
Karaṇam: the instruments of action: senses, mind, and inner faculties.
Ceṣṭā: the various efforts, movements, and energies that cooperate to produce action.
Daivam: the larger, uncontrollable factors: circumstances, timing, and forces beyond personal control.

Further, the Gita states in 18.16: "Therefore, one who thinks of oneself as the sole doer due to imperfect intelligence does not see rightly or completely. Such a person is deluded."

And what is this delusion? How does this delusion present itself? - the myriad emotions centered around failures, the ego, the lack of humility which blocks your learning, the inability to sleep, the 2 a.m. stress with nobody to turn too- how does this affect your performance? And more importantly, how does it affect your results?

The principle embedded in Karmanye vadhikaraste, therefore, becomes particularly relevant for modern leaders. It does not instruct them to give up results, nor does it suggest passivity. Instead, it clarifies that the result cannot be improved by worrying about it.

It is improved by improving the quality of the action that precedes it. A leader who learns to direct his attention in this way makes decisions with greater calm, communicates without unnecessary tension, and maintains a steadier influence on those around him.

A Clearer Way to Approach Results and Responsibility

In summary, the verse offers a practical orientation: keep your attention on the work you are responsible for, and do not allow the anticipation of results to weaken your ability to carry it out. Results will come through the cumulative effect of clear thinking and consistent action, not through constant mental agitation about what may or may not occur. This approach allows leaders to sustain their responsibilities without exhausting themselves and to maintain the clarity required for sound judgment in situations that demand it.

And lastly, I would love to share how beautifully another seeker teacher shared this in his article:

"Embracing the Five factors of Action dissolves ego’s claim and reduces karmic residue. Whether in speech, thought, or deed, these five factors of Action operate uniformly across every scenario—righteous or unrighteous, simple or complex."

"By aligning with the Five factors of Action, you cultivate humility, refine your instruments through practice, and perform duty as an offering, free from bondage."

Want 10X results without 2 a.m stress? Join the LeadWithEASE Circle

You may want to explore the LeadWithEASE Circle, my private leadership council for founders, CEOs, senior executives, and high-caliber operators who want to lead decisively, inspire trust, and drive 10x results without chaos or burnout.

This is the room where:

a founder closes her Series B because of a Circle introduction,
an exec cuts 18 months off a GTM with one framework shift,
and a CEO finally sleeps — because the team runs itself.

If you’re ready to operate with more clarity, steadiness, and strategic depth — and want a room where elite minds sharpen one another — you can learn more here: https://zurl.co/lwe

Feel free to reach out to me if you’d like to know more.

Categories: : Leadership