“You must not mistake Sattva for dullness or laziness. The calm man has control over the mind waves. Activity is the manifestation of inferior strength, calmness, of the superior.”
– Swami Vivekananda
On the cricket field, MS Dhoni was always calm, even if the opposition seemed in control. No outbursts of emotion, no rush, no bickering or arguing with umpires or the opposition. Then out of nowhere, he would make an inspired bowling change or field placement that paid off. Suddenly, his team would be in the driver’s seat.
Did Dhoni not get angry or stressed? Of course, he did. But even in the heat of the moment, he chose constructive thoughts. “What should I do next?”, he asked himself. No matter what the situation, Dhoni was in control of his mind. No wonder that he did go far in life.
Laziness is not a lack of action but a lack of consciousness. “When the mind is unaware of its reactions, of its own subtle movement, such a mind is lazy, ignorant,” Jiddu Krishnamurthi wrote. We often keep ourselves occupied to dull our mind rather than enrich it.
Jumping in to put out fires without thinking is foolishness. The rajasik burns out due to mindless action; the sattvik goes far in life by doing what’s important.
The next time you feel tempted to react, pause. Ask: Which action will be constructive here? When your actions are guided by a clear mind, you’ll go further.