Top performers don't grind through discipline—they tap into "Infinite Devotion," a state where genuine fascination creates deeper expertise and greater happiness than forced hard work ever could.
I can't tell you how much I love this! All of this resonates on such a deep level. This is what I teach my children.
I'm currently working on two projects for which I have infinite devotion. Thank you for giving my feelings a name. I work on these projects all the time, not because I have to, but because the work pulls me in and gives me joy.
The work/life balance argument has gotten it backward. When you have infinite devotion, you don't seek work/life balance.
I can't wait to read the rest of the book!! The world needs to hear your ideas on a mass scale.
This is exactly what I thought when I read this chapter...it gave my feelings a name. My best work throughout my life - from grade school through adulthood- has always had this element of infinite devotion. And burnout comes really easy when it's not there.
I often felt guilty when I couldn't push through. But now I know there is a better way.
"What society calls 'laziness' may actually be the intelligence of your soul refusing to waste energy on paths that aren't truly yours."
Such serendipitous timing! Your article of your journey which has culminated in your book 'Infinite Devotion' gives words to what's been swirling in my brain and heart 🙏
Thank you Michael, your generosity knows no bounds. So many people will benefit from your openness to learning and ability to synthesize vast amounts of information into a book and practical, useable guides that folks can immerse themselves in and implement in their lives.
Very interesting 🧐 Flow is a core component of the work I do with business owners and their teams. This is adding further layers.
I feel like this both about my business and my hobby of sewing my own vintage-style clothes.
I’ve recently set up a sewing YT channel, though the editing is taking way too long - despite using Descript and another AI tool. I might start doing more live videos. No editing and I love being live!
If you feel like I'm missing layers or perspectives at any point, feel free to comment. I'm viewing the philosophy and the book as iterative and alive.
Thank you infinitely, Michael, for this mind-illuminating article on devotion. A few words of explanation and an illustration of the six principles follow.
The image at the center of this graphic is a painting of an astronomer by Johannes Vermeer. "The Astronomer" by Vermeer perfectly captures the essence of "Infinite Devotion."
This painting shows a solitary figure wholly absorbed in his pursuit of knowledge. The astronomer is depicted in a moment of deep concentration, studying celestial charts under the gentle illumination of natural light from a nearby window. His posture and expression reveal a total dedication to understanding the cosmos.
Below is a link to a graphic illustrating six principles of Infinite Devotion.
This central motif is particularly fitting for this project because it portrays devotion to the intellectual and spiritual. The astronomer isn't merely performing tasks; he's engaged in a profound quest for understanding that transcends immediate results. His work requires patience, precision, and unwavering commitment to observation and learning.
How exciting to be included in the unfolding of this amazing book, Michael! I'm looking forward to more. I'm sure burnout could be considered an epidemic in our times, and this is a large part of the reason why. Thanks for bringing this work into the conversation on success and fulfillment. "In the end, Extraordinary achievement isn't born from extraordinary effort—it emerges naturally from extraordinary alignment." The path with heart.
Michael, while words rarely fail me, I struggle to express how deeply this writing resonates with me. Infinite Devotion is without a doubt an apt expression of how you encapsulate your purpose and achievements. As I teach and mentor through curiosity led learning, I smiled with increasing anticipation as I began to read the book introduction. Every one of us will be transformed in the ensuing weeks, pulled ever deeper into our unique inner magnetism to live a life more deeply entrenched in our alignment. Thank you for sharing the gift of your uniqueness.
Thanks! It is amazing and odd that we have all of these natural inborn traits like 'curiosity' which our culture often overlooks despite the fact that curiosity is this ancient emotion that gives us energy, makes us feel good, actually enhances learning, and helps us decide what's worth learning.
Our public 'education' system is inadvertently training curiosity and our innate passion to explore & learn OUT of kids. And there's little worse that could happen to a kid—especially in a world changing faster and faster.
Dr. George Land's TEDx talk reviews his study—testing the same 1,600 kids at ages 5,10, 15, and 20.
At age 5 - 98% of the kids tested a genius level for creative problem solving.
By the age of 10 - only 30% still tested at the genius level, and by age 20, only 2% of the kids still tested at their original level.
I agree. Despite positive intentions of many great and committed teachers, the system seems to be designed for achieving grades/test score rather than sparking learning.
This shook something deep in me - and made my heart flare up in joy, realizing just how all the good times of "being in flow" came to be.
We’ve spent decades optimizing for effort, glorifying the push, the grind, the sacrifice. And for what? Burnout, disconnection, empty trophies?
Michael’s framework names what many of us have felt but couldn’t articulate: That the old map of Mastery is broken. That what we’ve been calling laziness might actually be a deeper intelligence. Intelligence that refuses to build a life that costs our aliveness.
What if the goal isn’t to force discipline, but to design devotion?
This isn't just a feel-good idea. It’s a practical shift. I've watched founders, writers, builders light up the moment they stop trying to shove themselves into structures that aren't theirs, and instead follow what magnetizes them.
Carlsen’s story isn’t an exception. It’s a lighthouse.
Let’s build from this place. Let’s scale from soul. Let’s make work feel like breath again.
Infinite Devotion isn’t just a book title. It’s the future of how we create. That's how a Thought Leader for Thought Leaders drops the mic. ;-)
Michael— INCREDIBLY excited about the book - and then you stack a MOUNTAIN of powerful resources on top of it - to make sure we're able to EMBODY the wisdom - just freaking AMAZING. I'm a paid member and delighted to receive chapters as they come - BUT I'm already ready to buy the book right now - but don't see it on Amazon :-(
I am thoroughly enjoying, appreciating and inspired by what is unfolding from this paradigm shift from effort to effortless exploration. You are a wonderful demonstration of what you posit is possible, the collapse or dissolution of the seeming division between identity and craft or activity.
I can't tell you how much I love this! All of this resonates on such a deep level. This is what I teach my children.
I'm currently working on two projects for which I have infinite devotion. Thank you for giving my feelings a name. I work on these projects all the time, not because I have to, but because the work pulls me in and gives me joy.
The work/life balance argument has gotten it backward. When you have infinite devotion, you don't seek work/life balance.
I can't wait to read the rest of the book!! The world needs to hear your ideas on a mass scale.
Thanks Alina!! Really appreciate your comment.
This is exactly what I thought when I read this chapter...it gave my feelings a name. My best work throughout my life - from grade school through adulthood- has always had this element of infinite devotion. And burnout comes really easy when it's not there.
I often felt guilty when I couldn't push through. But now I know there is a better way.
Thanks for sharing Dawyne! It's crazy that so many people have this same experience, but it's often invisible.
Love this ✨
"What society calls 'laziness' may actually be the intelligence of your soul refusing to waste energy on paths that aren't truly yours."
Such serendipitous timing! Your article of your journey which has culminated in your book 'Infinite Devotion' gives words to what's been swirling in my brain and heart 🙏
Thank you Michael, your generosity knows no bounds. So many people will benefit from your openness to learning and ability to synthesize vast amounts of information into a book and practical, useable guides that folks can immerse themselves in and implement in their lives.
Thank you as always Janet!
You are welcome Michael!
Very interesting 🧐 Flow is a core component of the work I do with business owners and their teams. This is adding further layers.
I feel like this both about my business and my hobby of sewing my own vintage-style clothes.
I’ve recently set up a sewing YT channel, though the editing is taking way too long - despite using Descript and another AI tool. I might start doing more live videos. No editing and I love being live!
Awesome! What's your channel out of curiosity?
If you feel like I'm missing layers or perspectives at any point, feel free to comment. I'm viewing the philosophy and the book as iterative and alive.
Thanks Michael, I will.
My channel is https://youtube.com/@sewvintageglam
Very excited this week because I took part in a sewing challenge vlogger tour and got 1.9k views on my video so far since Sunday! 🤩
My previous best was less than 300…
Just shows the power of collaboration!
Thanks for giving my feeling a befitting name: Infinite Devotion.
I will upgrade to enjoy this must-read.
Awesome! Hope you enjoy.
Infinite Devotion
Thank you infinitely, Michael, for this mind-illuminating article on devotion. A few words of explanation and an illustration of the six principles follow.
The image at the center of this graphic is a painting of an astronomer by Johannes Vermeer. "The Astronomer" by Vermeer perfectly captures the essence of "Infinite Devotion."
This painting shows a solitary figure wholly absorbed in his pursuit of knowledge. The astronomer is depicted in a moment of deep concentration, studying celestial charts under the gentle illumination of natural light from a nearby window. His posture and expression reveal a total dedication to understanding the cosmos.
Below is a link to a graphic illustrating six principles of Infinite Devotion.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1syXiiMBX1vqgSFDg_GccI4ksN1wKIqpv/view?usp=sharing
This central motif is particularly fitting for this project because it portrays devotion to the intellectual and spiritual. The astronomer isn't merely performing tasks; he's engaged in a profound quest for understanding that transcends immediate results. His work requires patience, precision, and unwavering commitment to observation and learning.
John
Love the painting of Vermeer. Thank you for explaining it. Makes me want to explore it more.
How exciting to be included in the unfolding of this amazing book, Michael! I'm looking forward to more. I'm sure burnout could be considered an epidemic in our times, and this is a large part of the reason why. Thanks for bringing this work into the conversation on success and fulfillment. "In the end, Extraordinary achievement isn't born from extraordinary effort—it emerges naturally from extraordinary alignment." The path with heart.
Thanks Kristin!
Michael, while words rarely fail me, I struggle to express how deeply this writing resonates with me. Infinite Devotion is without a doubt an apt expression of how you encapsulate your purpose and achievements. As I teach and mentor through curiosity led learning, I smiled with increasing anticipation as I began to read the book introduction. Every one of us will be transformed in the ensuing weeks, pulled ever deeper into our unique inner magnetism to live a life more deeply entrenched in our alignment. Thank you for sharing the gift of your uniqueness.
Thanks! It is amazing and odd that we have all of these natural inborn traits like 'curiosity' which our culture often overlooks despite the fact that curiosity is this ancient emotion that gives us energy, makes us feel good, actually enhances learning, and helps us decide what's worth learning.
Our public 'education' system is inadvertently training curiosity and our innate passion to explore & learn OUT of kids. And there's little worse that could happen to a kid—especially in a world changing faster and faster.
Dr. George Land's TEDx talk reviews his study—testing the same 1,600 kids at ages 5,10, 15, and 20.
At age 5 - 98% of the kids tested a genius level for creative problem solving.
By the age of 10 - only 30% still tested at the genius level, and by age 20, only 2% of the kids still tested at their original level.
That's criminal, imho.
I agree. Despite positive intentions of many great and committed teachers, the system seems to be designed for achieving grades/test score rather than sparking learning.
Love the 1st chapter. Any idea when will the book be released?
Happy you liked it. I'm releasing it chapter by chapter and planning to release the next chapter tomorrow or Thursday.
Congratulations Michael on your new creative venture!
Thanks Gladys! Hope all is well on your journey as well.
One word summarizing all of the above: obsession.
What do we love so much that we are obsessed with it, never stop thinking about it, continue iterating on it? Just like Jiro.
Michael, when can we expect the PDF of the finished book? Can't wait for it to drop!
Hi Peter - Yes, I will definitely be releasing a PDF of the book for paid members.
This shook something deep in me - and made my heart flare up in joy, realizing just how all the good times of "being in flow" came to be.
We’ve spent decades optimizing for effort, glorifying the push, the grind, the sacrifice. And for what? Burnout, disconnection, empty trophies?
Michael’s framework names what many of us have felt but couldn’t articulate: That the old map of Mastery is broken. That what we’ve been calling laziness might actually be a deeper intelligence. Intelligence that refuses to build a life that costs our aliveness.
What if the goal isn’t to force discipline, but to design devotion?
This isn't just a feel-good idea. It’s a practical shift. I've watched founders, writers, builders light up the moment they stop trying to shove themselves into structures that aren't theirs, and instead follow what magnetizes them.
Carlsen’s story isn’t an exception. It’s a lighthouse.
Let’s build from this place. Let’s scale from soul. Let’s make work feel like breath again.
Infinite Devotion isn’t just a book title. It’s the future of how we create. That's how a Thought Leader for Thought Leaders drops the mic. ;-)
Michael— INCREDIBLY excited about the book - and then you stack a MOUNTAIN of powerful resources on top of it - to make sure we're able to EMBODY the wisdom - just freaking AMAZING. I'm a paid member and delighted to receive chapters as they come - BUT I'm already ready to buy the book right now - but don't see it on Amazon :-(
I am thoroughly enjoying, appreciating and inspired by what is unfolding from this paradigm shift from effort to effortless exploration. You are a wonderful demonstration of what you posit is possible, the collapse or dissolution of the seeming division between identity and craft or activity.