Q: How do I not confuse the state of doing nothing with the lack of responsibility or defeat?
A: See, the idea of the defeatist attitude is what your mind is now picking up; just to defend yourself. Even if it is lack of responsibility or defeatist, let you be unclutched for a few days. You will understand, if you are unclutched you will not have the tamas or lazy or passive attitude in you. Mentally you will be silent, but physically you will be active and alive.
When you are in the space of lack of responsibility or defeatist mentally you will be very active, physically you will be tired. When you are unclutched, physically you will be active and alive and mentally you will be silent; this is the satva attitude. There is a big difference between tamas and satva, in both ways you are silent but totally different. Whenever you remember you are unclutched, that will give you such an inner healing; such a big relief that you don't have to do anything. Actually there is nothing to be done. And there is nothing that can be done. You can try, try, try but nothing can be done. When you accept and come to that understanding, suddenly you feel the inner healing happening in you and that you are becoming a different being a different person. Only then you will understand how to be alive and active, without entering into the defeatist attitude. These are all a few words that your mind creates to protect you from this truth. Even if it's defeatist it's ok, let you be unclutched. Then you will understand the truth of these words.
Let us not connect these words with some of my past teachings and put them both in the same pile and put them in one corner of your mind, so that you can outlive me.