curbing dogma and driving karma

Karma Yoga sounds simple - renounce the desire for the fruits of your actions. I have tried this on and off over the years - sometimes it works like a charm bringing about an incredible sense of freedom and power. And sometimes it feels false, untrue - conforming to some ideal I have lost touch of. Every part of me is screaming for reward and recognition and I am trying to control myself. Is this the ego sneaking in through the back door and back to its game of trying to be in charge in the name of spirituality or is this truly an internal war that must be fought? Don't know if I can answer the question, but it seems worth asking.
Another thing I have noticed in my past attempts to apply this is keeping the non-attachment and the passion in balance. Sometimes when I am trying to be mindful of my attachment to rewards, I lose my passion for the work and sometimes slip into apathy. And if I restore the energy I am putting into my work, attachment sneaks in and before I know it, I am anxious and fearful about the outcome. So, the battle lines are clear. Can I put in all my energy and passion into my work(however trivial and inconsequential it may be) and still let go of the need for personal recognition and reward? Can I do this out of a genuine letting go and not some kind of spiritual conformity that camouflages my fear of fighting for my rights? Gandhi is reported to have said that he would prefer violence anyday over cowardice and that non-violence was meant for the brave. Today, on the anniversary of Gandhi's birthday, I dedicate a week(and hopefully more) of renouncing all personal gain from my actions at work and note the process of failing, struggling, learning and letting go. I am writing this to share my journey with my friends and invite their comments and insights to help me in my learning process.
P.S. The title of this piece comes from Swami Beyondananda as far as I know