The generosity of contribution.

The calculating self is concerned only with itself. It wants the certainty of outcome, the guarantee of results. It engages with the process only because of the results the process promises. But the process doesn't make any promises.

In contrast, the central self only wants to contribute. It sees where there is an opportunity to make things better and goes ahead and makes them better. It doesn't spend any energy on what will come back to it. It's busy moving on to the next contribution.

The interesting part is that if we keep contributing, if we keep making things better for everyone, we create an abundance of value. And sooner or later, that value would take care of what we need or want. Our obsession with our needs or wants only makes the process more tedious.

A chef focuses on making food for others. She is never worried if she'd get enough to eat.

You are a chef.

HT to Rosamund Stone Zander and Ben Zander for the concepts of calculating self and central self as introduced in their book, "The Art of Possibility".