“The Third Door of Liberation is aimlessness. There is nothing to do, nothing to realize, no program, no agenda…Your purpose is to be yourself.” - Thich Nhat Hanh
In this issue:
Aiming For Aimlessness
Podcast: Mindful Leadership with Jiryu Mark Rutschman-Byler (Abiding Abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center)
A Favorite Quote, Thich Nhat Hanh was asked, “Aren’t you worried about the state of the world?”
Half Day Retreat, July 13th
Another Favorite Quote, from Dogen, about how we limit ourselves
We are taught, trained, and measured to aim. From an early age, we are strongly encouraged to set goals, chase ambitions, and measure our worth by what we achieve. It is one of the insidious diseases of our time. Striving toward a successful future becomes a way of life, a kind of internal engine—always pushing forward, rarely pausing. This constant striving breeds not satisfaction, but anxiety, exhaustion, and a subtle sense of insufficiency.
The idea of aimlessness might seem radical, lazy, or irresponsible. But what if, paradoxically, aimlessness held the key to a more sustainable, joyful, and authentic kind of success? What if the practice of aimlessness might lead to both greater satisfaction, creativity and effectiveness?
To be aimless doesn’t mean to lack direction. It means to see and appreciate what is right in front of you. It means to work and create and grow, not from fear or a sense of lacking, but from presence, curiosity, and trust. In Zen practice, the concept of “non-attainment” or “no gaining idea” invites us to release our grip on outcomes. The point isn’t to have no goals or aspirations—it’s to relate to them differently.
Aimlessness is not easy in a culture obsessed with optimization. We’re praised for being busy, admired for burning out in the name of success. What if we learned to live from a deeper place—not trying to bolster an identity pushed on us by our parents and our culture, but instead what if we look inward to uncover our true nature and look outward for what we might offer others.
Letting go doesn’t mean giving up. It means allowing space for your life to unfold in surprising ways. In doing so, we just might find ourselves arriving at places we hadn’t even known to dream of.
Aimlessness invites us to tune into a different rhythm—one where goals and aspirations can act as a guide, but are not the measure of our worth. Here, we do the work not just to get somewhere or to prove something, but because the work itself is meaningful, purposeful, and can be sacred. We act with clarity, and with a sense of wonder. We can discover real rest without feeling guilty. We listen to our lives and to life, and allow our path to be shaped by both surrender and by strategy.
Integrating aimlessness into daily work and relationships is a practice. It asks us to shift our internal compass—from the rigid “what should I be achieving?” to the more interesting and honest “what is emerging here?” It isn’t about rejecting ambition—it refines it. You can still want to write the book, start the business, make the change, even create various kinds of wealth. But those aspirations are rooted in alignment and generosity rather than anxiety. These wholesome ambitions create healthy soil and support surprising bloom.
Aiming for aimlessness isn’t a contradiction. It’s a deeper aim, a different way of being in the world—one that honors both movement and stillness, both aspiration and acceptance, with confidence and humility. It teaches us that success is not just about reaching goals, but about the quality of attention we bring to each step along the way.
(Tassajara, Zen Mountain Center)
Aiming for aimlessness isn’t the end of ambition—it’s the beginning of finding real, durable freedom. And in that freedom, we may find a new and lasting kind of success we didn’t know we were looking for.
Practices:
Let go of identifying with what you have accomplished or might accomplish.
There is no need to wait in order to be satisfied and happy.
Explore being satisfied and happy right now, regardless of your circumstance or the circumstances of the world.
Try on integrating being highly ambitious when it comes to solving real problems and highly aimless/satisfied at the same time.
Mindful Leadership Podcast: Navigating Wise Leadership with Jiryu Mark Rutschman-Byler
San Francisco Zen Center Abiding Abbott Jiryu Rutschman-Byler unfolds Suzuki Roshi's teachings around the idea of "becoming yourself." It's not about solidifying a fixed identity but rather embracing a fluidity that allows for authenticity and intimacy.
We discuss a new book coming out in July, Becoming Yourself, a collection of talks by Shunryu Suzuki, edited by Jiryu and Mel Weitsman.
We talk about the challenges and rewards of stepping into leadership roles and how the practice of intimacy is essential. Mark shares that to effectively lead, one must first trust in being present and supported by those they lead. This mutual support is where true influence and effectiveness as a leader lie.
A Favorite Quote
Vietnamese Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh was asked: “Aren’t you worried about the state of the world?”
He takes a breath and says: “What is most important is to not allow the anxiety you feel about what happens in the world to fill your heart. There is tremendous suffering in the world, but it need not paralyze us. If we don’t know how to breath, smile, and live every moment of our lives deeply, we will never help anyone.”
Half Day Retreat, Sunday, July 13th, In Person and Online
In our world of busyness, of more/faster/better, this half-day retreat offers time to stop, reflect, and renew. We will explore the practices of effort and effortless as a path to well-being and “stepping into your life.” Together we’ll follow a gentle schedule of sitting and walking meditation, a talk, and some discussion. Anyone looking to begin or deepen a meditation and mindfulness practice is invited to attend.
Another Favorite Quote (From Genjo Koan, Koan of Everyday Life, by Dogen)
“When you sail out in a boat to the midst of ·an ocean where no land is in sight, and view the four directions, the ocean looks circular, and does not look any other way. But the ocean is neither round nor square; its features are infinite in variety. It is like a palace. It is like a jewel. It only looks circular as far as you can see at that time. All things are like this. Though there are many features in the dusty world and the world beyond conditions, you see and understand only what your eye of practice can reach.”
Warmest regards,
Marc