Do your work, then step back

Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill.
Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt.
Chase after money and security and your heart will never enclench.
Care about other people's approval and you will be their prisoner.
Do your work, then step back.
The only path to serenity.
--Lao-tzu, Tao Te Ching, ch. 9

Patanjali teaches us in the Yoga Sutra The 8 Limb Yoga, or Ashtanga Yoga. I tend to get stuck at the Yama (first limb) or Asana (third limb) and skip नियम Niyama, the second limb, which is translated at “the observances” or “the Do’s.”
The second Niyama after Shaucha: purity or cleanliness is Santosha: contentment or peacefulness. I find this “do” hard to practice. We live in a world where we are thought to want more and more, and honestly I find this quality attractive. And still, how can we progress with out contentment? The Buddha said: “I teach only one thing- there is suffering and there is an end of suffering.” It is as simple as that. But for us to be happy, to remove suffering to come, we must first be happy with what we have. Our lives are wonderful, they are full with glory!
So for this birthday, I take upon myself to practice contentment; I will fill my bowl only to the point that I need, I will sharpen my knife only so it is sharp, I will not chase money or security and I will not depend on people’s approval. I will do my work, every day, practice, practice, practice and I will step back.