"Let's test all this. Think of a project in which you have no
self-interest, perhaps that of becoming a scientist. Now, is either success
or failure of concern to you? No. We concern ourselves with success or
failure only when damaging self-interest is involved. So to be free we
must abolish all harmful self-interest.
This does not mean you will not be able to earn a good living or carry on
with the usual affairs of life. In fact, you will perform much better in
everyday matters, for you are not concerned with failure in any way. You
just do what you do, with no inner conflicts.
Strangely, when you have no harmful self-interest, you are interested in
everything, but not tied to anything. You are like a ship that roams the
sea, visiting whatever ports it likes and leaving whenever it pleases the
fancy."
HOW TO END DEFEAT AND FAILURE
The Power of your Supermind, Chap. 6, p. 70 (Original version)
Chap. 6, p. 95 (Current version)