I seem to recall him saying something like “some books just took too much effort”
It’s all interesting….

You wrote:
“The people who become a master at their craft are in the flow. They “do without doing”. ”

As a writer and a professional editor, I have to say that often writing that flows and is effortless to read is created by very hard work – revising, editing, throwing out. It’s not necessarily that the writer was “in flow” when they wrote that wonderful passage – it may have been excruciating to write (and revise. And rewrite, etc)

I imagine this is true for others who seem to do what they do with ease and flow – they worked at it, and continue to work at it.

Most often, great artists, athletes, and masters at their craft do very much *with* doing – studying, revising, practicing, rehearsing. It’s only after this that they get to a place of “doing without doing”, although being good at something still does not always mean it’s without effort. I see it everyday in my work.

Just my reflection on the article. I still very much believe in the concept of “flow” which seems to me the same as “do without doing.” This post definitely gives me food for thought!

Thank you so much for commenting. It really brings me joy to read comments of appreciation.

Thank you.

I loved this post, and I love that Tao poem.

Such a simple statement, yet so strong and transformational.

My latest example of this is my artwork. Two months ago I had no idea that my particular medium even existed, and now I do it without even thinking. I just sit down and make stuff appear – it’s quite amazing!