UPBUILDING THE SELF

The Four Levels of Motivation

What is really motivating you? Are you running away from something or towards something?

In this episode, Hari Prasada, Michael, and Rasanath share a framework inspired by the Bhagavad-Gita for thinking about different levels of motivation that show up in how we approach relationships, work, and our everyday experience of the world. They do a deep dive into each of the four levels of motivation and offer practical ways to understand where we are operating from and how to move to a higher level.

Podcast Hosts: Hari Prasada, Michael and Rasanath

Highlights

  • [4:00] Level 1. Fear.

  • [4:30] Level 2. Prospect.

  • [9:00] Level 3. Duty.

  • [13:20] How values can influence goals

  • [17:10] Why the collective consciousness is obsessed with results and goals

  • [21:20] Level 4.

  • [25:00] Why level 2 is often confused with level 4.

  • [31:30] Treat yourself like a boss. The abundance of misleading messaging in the self-help world.

  • [36:50] A practical way of moving up through the levels

  • [43:00] The different kinds of suffering that arise at each level

  • [49:20] Making level 4 much more accessible

  • [55:30] The influence of the Bhagavad-Gita and Bhaktivinoda Thakura in creating this framework

Quotes

  • “Attachment and avoidance are two sides of the same coin” -Rasanath

  • “If we become the best, it should be because we serve the best. Because that’s the right thing to do, and my values will speak for themselves, and I’m not afraid of being the best.” -Hari Prasada

  • “So many people go to work or take higher paying jobs because they think that they are doing their duty to their family but really where they're operating from is Level 2 [prospect] or maybe Level 1 [fear] where it's much more about me.” -Michael

  • "Why am I feeling frustrated? Why am I feeling irritated? Why am I feeling angry? ...When we are honest, the response will indicate the level of motivation we are operating from." -Rasanath.

  • “When you talk about love, it's not about my ego and it's not about these surface things…It's about the giving itself and it's about the care for the other person.” -Hari Prasada

  • "We must take responsibility for our lives and understand what's driving it. Without knowing that, how do we lead our lives?” -Rasanath.

For first timers, welcome to Upbuilding the Self

About the podcast: Two former monks, a former startup founder and CEO, and a former equity derivatives trader dive into how to be our best selves, free from the ego. Our egos are the identities we create for ourselves and wish the world to validate, but when we are not seen as we want to be, we feel insecure. This podcast lives at the intersection of leadership and spirituality. It will help you understand your ego and shed light on your inner world so that you can act with greater clarity, compassion, and the freedom to be your best self.