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Businessman:
Being detached from desire might be admirable in those who seek
an ascetic lifestyle, but for most of us the world simply doesn’t work
that way. Think about it. What motivates us to get out of bed every
morning, navigate rush hour traffic, show up at work on time, and
devote our time and energies toward our career? Even if we work for
a non-profit institution or charitable foundation, there must be
something self-serving in what we do. Otherwise, why do it?
Is your job merely a way to pay the bills or is there something more?
Do you derive a sense of accomplishment or self-worth from what
you do? Are you trying to change the world, perhaps succeeding?
Are you in it to build your personal brand, for the acclaim, the
promotions? Does international travel, a corner office, or a healthy
per diem check turn your crank? Or, are you more of a people-
person, someone who thrives in a group setting? Do you find that
mentoring and coaching others gives you a sense of fulfillment far
greater than anything you could accomplish by yourself? Ask a
million people and we will likely get a million different reasons, such
things are deeply personal, but everybody has one of them…
Whatever drives us, it’s a pretty safe bet that were it not for some
sense of desire we wouldn’t show up at the office every morning,
especially if we’re not the owner or chief executive officer of the
company and maybe not even then. After all, they call it work
because it takes effort. It’s not always fun…
So, why do we do stuff if it’s not pleasurable then? There’s a
fundamental hypothesis that underlies modern economic theory, the
supposition that people tend to act in their own enlightened self-
interest.
[11]
Perhaps not all people behave that way at all times, drug
addicts and those on a weekend bender come to mind by way of
example, but this assumption tends to hold true for the
preponderance of people in the world. In a free market this collection
of individual desires translates into collective benefit for all, as those
who want to buy are able to acquire goods or services from those
who want to sell in a mutually beneficial trade that brings value to
both parties. But, what if nobody wanted to make anything to sell?
What if there was no marketplace in which to buy? Without desire,
there’s no drive. Without drive there’s no accomplishment.
One of the key reasons that communism failed in the old Soviet
Union was that people lost the will to work. They might have shown
up at the factory or office place, but they didn’t get much done while
there were there. After all, going the extra mile (kilometer) wasn’t
rewarded; it paid the same to sit around and gossip or play cards as
it did to work your fingers to the bone. Clearly there were many other
factors that played important roles, such as budget-busting Cold War
military spending, but unfulfilled desire had to have been significant
since productivity in the USSR was far, far less than that achieved
anywhere in the West.
[12]
I’m not condoning greed, corruption, or meaningless personal
aggrandizement by any means, but rather asserting that desire
matters. Desire to do good work, to earn respect, to take pride in our
work… Desire to build a better life for ourselves and our loved ones
by starting our own business or securing a better job... Without
desire nothing gets done. Without desire most businesses simply
could not run.
I’m afraid I have to strongly disagree with Musashi on this precept as
written, but there’s a corollary that is not only sound but prudent
when conducting business, “Business isn’t personal; don’t hold a
grudge.” Sadly we all too often make decisions that give too much
weight toward emotions over sound logic. This dynamic can be seen
in famous corporate grudge matches such as General Motors vs.
Ford, Duracell vs. Energizer, Boeing vs. Airbus, Nike vs. Reebok,
McDonald’s vs. Burger King, Marvel vs. DC, or Nikon vs. Canon to
name a few. Competition can be good, of course. It often drives
innovation and brings vibrant new products and services to the
marketplace. But, blind hatred is, well… dysfunctional to say the
least.
Consider, for example, Coke vs. Pepsi. Historically there’s been no
love lost between the two soft drink giants. For years Coca Cola
executives called their rival, “The Imitator,” “The Enemy,” or “The
Competition,” refusing to even acknowledge their name. In fact, they
were so busy battling each other for market share that they entirely
missed the emergence of a promising new segment, energy drinks.
Latecomers to the game, they both lost out to Red Bull and have
been playing catch-up ever since. It doesn’t always have to end this
way, however. Think Apple and Microsoft. Despite previous bad
blood between founders Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, the two tech
giants have developed a much more cordial relationship over time.
Apple’s current CEO Tim Cook offers an enlightened approach,
“Apple and Microsoft can partner on more things than they can
compete on. I’m not a believer in holding grudges. Life is short.
You’re going to die soon. It’s better to have friends.” Amen to that.
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