Do What You Respect, Not What You Love
Do What You Respect, Not What You Love
"Do what you love."
That's the mantra, right?
But how many of us have followed that advice, only to end up feeling hollow?
I used to chase what I loved.
Comfort. Pleasure. Recognition.
Even some creative things that lit me up at first…
But they didn’t last.
Because deep down, I didn’t respect them.
Doing what you love can cost you your self-respect.
Because what you “love” is often just a craving — not a calling.
And cravings are short-sighted. They don’t see the long-term you.
The version of you that has integrity.
Discipline. Purpose.
Do what you respect.
Do the thing that, when no one’s watching, makes you proud of who you are.
Even if it’s hard.
Even if it’s boring sometimes.
Even if no one claps.
Do that — and you’ll fall in love with yourself.
Not in an ego way.
In a solid way.
Where you can look in the mirror and say,
“Yes. That’s me. I rate this man.”
The Impact of Not Respecting What You Do
Every time you do something you don’t respect —
Lie. Gossip. Overindulge.
Make art you don’t believe in.
Say yes when you meant no —
You chip away at your self-trust.
You know it.
Even if no one else knows it, you know it.
And that knowing becomes a weight.
The heaviest burden isn’t what other people think of us.
It’s what we think of ourselves.
The Turning Point
There’s a freedom that comes when you shift from asking,
“What do I feel like doing?”
to
“What would I respect myself for doing?”
It might mean:
Waking up early when you want to sleep in
Painting what’s true instead of what’s trendy
Holding back from quick dopamine for deeper devotion
Saying no to money when it means yes to integrity
That’s real love.
Not indulgence, but alignment.
Not hype, but honour.
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Do what you love, and you risk losing respect for yourself.
Do what you respect, and you’ll fall in love — with who you become.
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Want more reflections like this? Or a deeper dive into how I apply these ideas in art, youth work, and spiritual life? Let me know — I’ll write more.
Hare Krishna
. It reminds me of how Krishna encourages us in the Gita to act not for fleeting results, but in alignment with dharma and devotion. To do what we respect is to honour the Supersoul within the heart guiding us. It’s not always easy, but it’s the only work worth doing? And the most liberating. Thank you for putting this into words so beautifully.