“ How to Motivate Yourself ” Practical Management Lessons From The Bhagavad-Gita
Based on Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and Seminar by HH Bhanu Swami, ISKCON, Chennai, india
OUTLINE
•What is Motivation? •Common Causes and Their Shortcomings •Ideal Motivation •Influence of Conditioning •Unconditioned Motivation •Entities of Action
•Changeless Core
•The Perfect Example
WHAT IS MOTIVATION? • A desire to act
•For satisfaction
• What is strong motivation ?
•Intense and Stable desire to act •Self-driven •Not Influenced by external conditions
•Association •Mental States •Incentives •Life Events
• Where does strong motivation come from ?
COMMON CAUSES
•Maslow’s analysis, “Hierarchy of needs” •Security •Wealth •Esteem
•Self-Actualization
•Is Self-Actualization enough ? Stephen Hawking ** •No guarantee of all-round success •No guarantee of complete satisfaction
** Read a recent news article about the abuse he suffered from a former nurse
IDEAL MOTIVATION
• A Natural Act uninfluenced by external conditions and results and done despite self-satisfaction • No perfect example in this world, but a few good examples •Act done as a matter of duty • Belief system
•Act done as loving service
• Mother serving child •Act done spontaneously as a sport •Is there a perfect example ?
We will come back to this at the end of this presentation!!!, Now what influences our actions??
INFLUENCE OF CONDITIONING
• Conditioning • “We think What we see is What is”
• Conditioning influences perception
• Perception Affects Desires • Desire influences motivation
“Material nature consists of the three modes--goodness, passion and ignorance. When the living entity comes in contact with nature, he becomes conditioned by these modes.”
- Bhagavad-Gita- 14.5
Based on how we are affected by the modes, we act in certain ways; For example, a person in ignorance is lazy, intoxicated etc.,; See 14th chapter of the Gita for a more detailed explanation on the symptoms of the three modes
UNCONDITIONED MOTIVATION
• What is unconditioned state ? • Perceive reality as it is
• Act with pure love
• Complete satisfaction at all stages of action GUARANTEED!!! • How to remove conditioning ?
Before we answer this question, we need to understand what are the different unseen entities that influence our actions!
ENTITIES OF ACTION
Desires Material Pleasures; Wants to Enjoy Separately from God
Krishna/God
Untouched
Provides for the desires
Creates
Jiva/Soul
Performs an act, suffers reactions, thinks himself their cause!! Binds the soul - Suffers birth, death, old age and disease
World/Maya/Mat - erial Nature
Is there a way out from this bondage/conditioning?
ENTITIES OF ACTION
Aligns with Krishna’s will Krishna
Untouched
Reciprocates Creates
Jivatma
Sacrifices Results to Krishna
No Reactions
World
Therefore, Arjuna, you should always think of Me in the form of Krsna and at the same time carry out your prescribed duty of fighting. With your activities dedicated to Me and your mind and intelligence fixed on Me, you will attain Me without doubt. – Bhagavad-Gita, 8.7
SOLUTION: PRACTICE YOGA!!!
CHANGELESS CORE BASED ON ETERNAL PRINCIPLES – Key to Strong Motivation
SECURITY
WISDOM
Changeless Core
POWER
GUIDANCE
In order to develop a strong motivation, one’s life should be based on a CORE of eternal principles/values; What are these eternal principles?? Let’s look at the Gita…
ETERNAL TRUTHS
avinasi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idam tatam vinasam avyayasyasya na kascit kartum arhati
Know that which pervades the entire body is indestructible. No one is able to destroy the imperishable soul. - Bhagavad-Gita 2.17
antavanta ime deha nityasyoktah saririnah anasino 'prameyasya tasmad yudhyasva bharata
Only the material body of the indestructible, immeasurable and eternal living entity is subject to destruction; therefore, fight, O descendant of Bharata. – Bhagavad-Gita 2.18
ETERNAL TRUTHS
mamaivamso jiva-loke jiva-bhutah sanatanah manah-sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati
The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal, fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind. - Bhagavad-Gita 15.7
This verse talks about the intrinsic/inherent relation between the part (soul) and the whole (Krishna); When the soul forgets this relation, he suffers in this world; As soon as he recognizes this relation, his motivation to perform an act changes; He now acts solely and spontaneously for the satisfaction of the Lord, enjoys complete bliss!!!
These acts are uninfluenced by external conditions and results!
THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE FOR OUR LIFE
karmany evadhikaras te ma phalesu kadacana ma karma-phala-hetur bhur ma te sango 'stv akarmani You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty. - Bhagavad-Gita, 2.47
Take-home message: Be Detached from Results!!!
ARJUNA, THE PERFECT EXAMPLE
Krishna says,
iti te jnanam akhyatam guhyad guhyataram maya vimrsyaitad asesena yathecchasi tatha kuru
Thus, I have explained to you the most confidential of all knowledge. Deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do. arjuna uvaca nasto mohah smrtir labdha tvat-prasadan mayacyuta sthito 'smi gata-sandehah karisye vacanam tava
Arjuna replies,
Arjuna said, My dear Krishna, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy, and I am now firm and free from doubt and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.
The above verses appear at the end of the Gita; After understanding the eternal truths that Krishna explained in the earlier chapters, Arjuna here aligns his will to that of Krishna’s, and thus, sets a perfect example for others!!
Chant,
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
And Motivate Yourself
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
doc_801327392.ppt
Based on Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and Seminar by HH Bhanu Swami, ISKCON, Chennai, india
OUTLINE
•What is Motivation? •Common Causes and Their Shortcomings •Ideal Motivation •Influence of Conditioning •Unconditioned Motivation •Entities of Action
•Changeless Core
•The Perfect Example
WHAT IS MOTIVATION? • A desire to act
•For satisfaction
• What is strong motivation ?
•Intense and Stable desire to act •Self-driven •Not Influenced by external conditions
•Association •Mental States •Incentives •Life Events
• Where does strong motivation come from ?
COMMON CAUSES
•Maslow’s analysis, “Hierarchy of needs” •Security •Wealth •Esteem
•Self-Actualization
•Is Self-Actualization enough ? Stephen Hawking ** •No guarantee of all-round success •No guarantee of complete satisfaction
** Read a recent news article about the abuse he suffered from a former nurse
IDEAL MOTIVATION
• A Natural Act uninfluenced by external conditions and results and done despite self-satisfaction • No perfect example in this world, but a few good examples •Act done as a matter of duty • Belief system
•Act done as loving service
• Mother serving child •Act done spontaneously as a sport •Is there a perfect example ?
We will come back to this at the end of this presentation!!!, Now what influences our actions??
INFLUENCE OF CONDITIONING
• Conditioning • “We think What we see is What is”
• Conditioning influences perception
• Perception Affects Desires • Desire influences motivation
“Material nature consists of the three modes--goodness, passion and ignorance. When the living entity comes in contact with nature, he becomes conditioned by these modes.”
- Bhagavad-Gita- 14.5
Based on how we are affected by the modes, we act in certain ways; For example, a person in ignorance is lazy, intoxicated etc.,; See 14th chapter of the Gita for a more detailed explanation on the symptoms of the three modes
UNCONDITIONED MOTIVATION
• What is unconditioned state ? • Perceive reality as it is
• Act with pure love
• Complete satisfaction at all stages of action GUARANTEED!!! • How to remove conditioning ?
Before we answer this question, we need to understand what are the different unseen entities that influence our actions!
ENTITIES OF ACTION
Desires Material Pleasures; Wants to Enjoy Separately from God
Krishna/God
Untouched
Provides for the desires
Creates
Jiva/Soul
Performs an act, suffers reactions, thinks himself their cause!! Binds the soul - Suffers birth, death, old age and disease
World/Maya/Mat - erial Nature
Is there a way out from this bondage/conditioning?
ENTITIES OF ACTION
Aligns with Krishna’s will Krishna
Untouched
Reciprocates Creates
Jivatma
Sacrifices Results to Krishna
No Reactions
World
Therefore, Arjuna, you should always think of Me in the form of Krsna and at the same time carry out your prescribed duty of fighting. With your activities dedicated to Me and your mind and intelligence fixed on Me, you will attain Me without doubt. – Bhagavad-Gita, 8.7
SOLUTION: PRACTICE YOGA!!!
CHANGELESS CORE BASED ON ETERNAL PRINCIPLES – Key to Strong Motivation
SECURITY
WISDOM
Changeless Core
POWER
GUIDANCE
In order to develop a strong motivation, one’s life should be based on a CORE of eternal principles/values; What are these eternal principles?? Let’s look at the Gita…
ETERNAL TRUTHS
avinasi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idam tatam vinasam avyayasyasya na kascit kartum arhati
Know that which pervades the entire body is indestructible. No one is able to destroy the imperishable soul. - Bhagavad-Gita 2.17
antavanta ime deha nityasyoktah saririnah anasino 'prameyasya tasmad yudhyasva bharata
Only the material body of the indestructible, immeasurable and eternal living entity is subject to destruction; therefore, fight, O descendant of Bharata. – Bhagavad-Gita 2.18
ETERNAL TRUTHS
mamaivamso jiva-loke jiva-bhutah sanatanah manah-sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati
The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal, fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind. - Bhagavad-Gita 15.7
This verse talks about the intrinsic/inherent relation between the part (soul) and the whole (Krishna); When the soul forgets this relation, he suffers in this world; As soon as he recognizes this relation, his motivation to perform an act changes; He now acts solely and spontaneously for the satisfaction of the Lord, enjoys complete bliss!!!
These acts are uninfluenced by external conditions and results!
THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE FOR OUR LIFE
karmany evadhikaras te ma phalesu kadacana ma karma-phala-hetur bhur ma te sango 'stv akarmani You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty. - Bhagavad-Gita, 2.47
Take-home message: Be Detached from Results!!!
ARJUNA, THE PERFECT EXAMPLE
Krishna says,
iti te jnanam akhyatam guhyad guhyataram maya vimrsyaitad asesena yathecchasi tatha kuru
Thus, I have explained to you the most confidential of all knowledge. Deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do. arjuna uvaca nasto mohah smrtir labdha tvat-prasadan mayacyuta sthito 'smi gata-sandehah karisye vacanam tava
Arjuna replies,
Arjuna said, My dear Krishna, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy, and I am now firm and free from doubt and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.
The above verses appear at the end of the Gita; After understanding the eternal truths that Krishna explained in the earlier chapters, Arjuna here aligns his will to that of Krishna’s, and thus, sets a perfect example for others!!
Chant,
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
And Motivate Yourself
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
doc_801327392.ppt