Never forget this if you wish to live in Peace.
In the Bhagavad Gita, one of the most revered ancient scriptures of India, (and another incredible segment from the previously mentioned ancient epic Mahabharat), Krishna who represents the supreme divine is having a conversation with the Prince, Arjun, while on the battlefield.
Arjun is hesitant to fight his own relatives who belong to the opposing army and is in a dilemma about continuing further. Krishna reminds Arjun that as a warrior, fighting on the battlefield is his duty, regardless of who is in the opposition.
Krishna explained that there are only two things that could happen, Arjun could either fight and defeat the opposing army or he could get killed himself. Either way, he would only be partaking in the duties and destiny that is already assigned to him. Whether he would be victorious or defeated, was irrelevant, because in both the cases, he would be doing what he was born for.
However, if he were to lay down his weapons and refuse to fight or flee the battlefield, he would be running away from his duties as a warrior.
Krishna reminded Arjun that the divine will has only given everyone a role to carry out in this world, but it has not given them control over the results of their actions.
Still, as long as one sincerely carries out whatever his/her job is, does so without any attachment to an external reward and does it to the best they can, that person is admirable, regardless of whether they win or lose.
The only thing the “player” is judged on is whether they played the “game of life” sincerely and with the right intentions. As long as one did that, their life was worth it.
They are a “Karma Yogi” or the person who has lived life with sincere devotion to executing whatever actions (Karma) that life has meant for them. The term, “Karma Yogi” can literally be translated to mean – A person who has devoted their life to action, without obsession for the reward.
A Karma Yogi is not hoping for a better life or even a better afterlife as a reward for what they do. A Karma Yogi is not overly obsessed with winning as much as they are dedicated to doing their job well. And if they do win, they remember that the win happened not only because of their actions but because of infinite forces beyond their control and they never forget to be grateful for the same.
“The steadily devoted soul attains unadulterated peace because he offers the result of all activities to Me; whereas a person who is not in union with the Divine, who is greedy for the fruits of his labor, becomes entangled.” – Krishna to Arjun in the Bhagavad Gita