Why should I be mindful of my "motivations"?

We are most often judged by our actions. Our actions and the resultant effect are seen and witnessed by others, giving 'just' cause for opinions and judgment. Being aware that, "seeing is believing" is the prevailing mantra, we tailor our actions to suit the accepted and politically correct norms of society. More often than most, our heart is not behind our actions yet we act regardless of the fact that the motivation for our action is to be seen and judged favorably by society. 

We are so used to catering to doing the 'right' or 'correct' thing that we tend to ignore our motives and judge ourselves solely by our actions. By avoiding examination of our motives we condemn ourselves to a restlessness of spirit that creates a void in the fabric of our character. 

We are so accustomed to viewing the 'whitewashed' portrayal of ourselves that we dare not probe further lest we discover the unpleasant reality that no matter how sweet our action, the motivation may threaten to destroy our opinion of ourselves. Our obsession with appearances causes us to cloak our anger as passion, our envy as competiveness, our vengeance as justice, etc. This form of falsehood is even more dangerous as it deludes us into believing that our motivation is above reproach. 

 Seeking acknowledgement, gratitude or reciprocity are also powerful motivators that are self-serving and often glossed over under the pretense of being 'unexpected' or 'undeserving'. No matter how we couch these selfish motivations, they leave us with a hollowness that cannot be filled. Should our motivation be that of love, kindness or harmony, then we would have no need for acknowledgement or gratitude, nor would be mindful of the act, for the motivation would in itself provide fulfillment.