The Clean, Hard Bed of Work

Notice that to really want is to be independent of local, temporary, outside criticism. False Personality depends on what others think of you—that is, an audience. Real aim needs no audience. It is deeper, more genuine, essential. If you make an aim in the Work—as, for instance, not to feel always this background of tears, discontent, of being not appreciated— which is one form of inner accounting—then, if you really want not to have it, after some time it will be given you not to have it—usually in short flashes.

But only if you really want this aim and have realized what it might mean not to have it will it eventually be given you fully. You are tested first. People love their negative emotions. Remove these by magic—then do you think they will praise you? No—they will hate you. This is our curious situation, about which at one time Ouspensky talked endlessly. To have a clean, hard bed to rest on is a difficult acquisition.

Maurice Nicoll, "Commentary on Aim" in Psychological Commentaries on the Teaching of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky (Vol. 3, p. 1097)