The Hidden Gift in Difficult Times
“Life seems comfortable; and you find the mind behaves well when everything is going well with you. But if something goes wrong, your mind loses its balance. That is not good. Bear all evil and misery without one murmur of hurt, without one thought of happiness, resistance, remedy, or retaliation. That is true endurance and […]
Restraint Fuels Strength; Compulsion, Weakness
“What you call majority is mainly composed of fools and men of common intellect. Men who have brains to think for themselves are few, everywhere. These few men are the real leaders . . . the majority are guided by them as with a string, and that’s good, for everything goes right when they follow in the footsteps of these leaders.” — Swami Vivekananda
The Threefold Path to Build Discipline
“Tapasyā is threefold – of the body, of speech, and of mind. The first is service of others; the second, truthfulness; and third, control and concentration.” — Swami Vivekananda
Life Rewards The Focused Thought
“The old idea was: ‘Develop one idea at the expense of all the rest.’ The modern way is ‘harmonious development.’ A third way is to ‘develop the mind and control it’, then put it where you will; the result will come quickly. This is developing yourself in the truest way. Learn concentration and use it in any direction.” — Swami Vivekananda
You Can’t? Or You Won’t?
“It is thoughtlessness that must be considered, not the mere giving up of a habit or conflict. The abandonment of a habit will naturally flow if there is thoughtfulness, if there is sensitivity. . . So if you want to smoke, smoke; but be intensely aware of all the implications of habit: thoughtlessness, dependence, loneliness, […]
When You Argue, You Lose
“Do not argue… if one forces arguments upon you, be silent. Do not answer any argument but go away calmly, because arguments only disturb the mind. The only thing necessary is to train the intellect; what is the use of disturbing it for nothing.” — Swami Vivekananda Everyone is trying to win arguments, whether on […]
How To Find a Mentor
“Without self-confidence you can never do anything; you will never found an industry or build up a trade, for you have nothing to carry you through the first anxious years when the only dividend is hope, and the best assets are unfaltering courage and faith in oneself.” — Sri Aurobindo Everyone wants a mentor today. […]
Strengthen Your Mind
“A word is uttered, and we do not wait to consider its meaning; we jump to a conclusion immediately… the weaker the man, the less restraint he has… When you’re angry, reason out how some news is throwing your mind into Vritti.” — Swami Vivekananda Your mother-in-law says a few mean words. A colleague blames […]
Don’t Break the Streak
“That which tastes like poison at first, but tastes like nectar in the end — this is the joy of sattva. . . Pleasure from the senses seem like nectar at first, but it is bitter as poison in the end.” — Bhagavad Gita Remember Snapchat streaks? Breaking them felt like the friendship with the […]
The Secret Key to Unlocking Knowledge
“How has all the knowledge in the world been gained but by the concentration of the powers of the mind?… The more concentrated it is, the more power is brought to bear on one point.” — Swami Vivekananda When Bill Gates and Warren Buffett were asked to write the key ingredient to their respective successes, […]