From Weakness to Will: Breaking the Cycle of Delay

We all have heard this proverb ‘Where there is a will, there is a way’ numerous times in our life and majority also know what it means. However not many of us know that this same very proverb can be a very important tool for self-transformation. Because, the question of one’s inner transformation is linked to the strength of one’s will and the resoluteness of one’s spirit. Hence, if one decides it with a strong and unbending will that one will no longer harbour any negative thought in one’s mind or that one will not allow self to indulge in a certain bad behavioural response, then one succeeds partially or fully in the process of inner change, else one falters again and again and, feeling demoralised sooner or later and gives up the effort to change oneself. Let us know it clearly and remember it firmly that in the process of self-transformation or change as we may say, the temptations to work for winning tributes and laurels and to rise to fame and glory will be too strong, the gender attractions will exert too powerful pull on one’s mind and the situation to defray tempers will be too provocative or too many and one will feel cheated by these subtle ways of Maya. So, it is essential that one stands firm and faces all these storms like a rock.

It has been observed that one of the weaknesses that results in spiritual ruin of man is that he postpones the implementation of certain decisions even though these were made by him voluntarily and are for his own lasting good. This happens especially if a person fails on one’s initial steps to prevent any of his negative traits from manifesting itself, as a result of which in case of failures he feels frustrated and loses his self-confidence and thinks that all his efforts will end in smoke. Having lost his will, he gives up the effort and says to himself: “I am not giving it up forever. I will start and fight against this evil that is entrenched in me but, perhaps, the time has not yet come. I will start it on some more auspicious and memorable day “. And when that day finally comes, he thinks that, for this day, he will start afresh. But again, there is a pitfall. So, he says to himself: “ I shall better start it from the first day of next month.” On that day, he starts it over again. But, one who has not determined that he will continue it now against all odds, will admit his defeat again and again and, having lost his heart, will either give up efforts forever or will postpone it until another auspicious day! Such people get used to failing again and again and, in the process, they become weak. Let us, therefore, make a strong affirmation and say to ourselves: “Even if the heavens fall, I am now not going to fall. My pledge is harder than steel. And I pledge that I am not going to falter and will now march from great to greater heights!” When individuals thus work for self-change with a tenacious and determined will, then only does a society change.

(Writer is a spiritual educator&popular columnist for publications across India,Nepal & UK. Till Date 8500+ Published Columns have been written by Him)