I once read a quote that has had a huge impact on my life. It was from a Zen
Buddhism book I randomly picked up while visiting the library of a Buddhist
monastery in Nepal.
I can’t remember the exact quote. That was way more than a decade ago! But it
was something like this:
“If you can’t keep your small commitments in life, how can you expect to keep your big commitments?”
The teacher was giving a lesson to his disciple on integrity and willpower.
The idea is that if you want to accomplish great things or complete meaningful
projects, you must practice integrity in even the smallest things.
For example, even if you made a small promise, like meeting your friends at a
bar for a casual gathering, you have to show up and arrive at the time you
said you would.
You have to keep your word no matter what.
The more you do this, the more the power of your words strengthens.
I really took this to heart. Whenever I say I’ll do something, I know that I
have no other option. I have to do it, no matter how insignificant it might be
for myself or others.
I think this habit not only strengthens the power of your words but also helps
you overcome self-doubt and fears.
Around July last year, I told a friend here in Sri Lanka that I was planning
to start teaching beginners Sanskrit online. The moment I said that, I knew
there was no turning back. I had to do it.
I even mentioned it to my cousin when she interviewed me for her podcast to
talk about
finding your life purpose.
To be honest, I was hesitant to start teaching Sanskrit. I
procrastinated for a little while. Well, mostly because of the tropical heat
in Sri Lanka.
But once my landlord installed an AC and I got the Wi-Fi all set up in my
little rental here in the South, I knew I had no excuses. I had to start
teaching Sanskrit online.
And so I did.
Then the idea for an
online Sanskrit course
came to my mind. Once I mentioned it to a few friends, I knew I had to do it.
And I started it.
Then, something unexpected happened. After I published those first few
lessons, a wave of inner satisfaction and joy started to rise from within.
It’s not because I’m proud of what I’m creating, or because I know it will
help others learn Sanskrit. That’s true, of course. But the satisfaction that
I feel has a simpler explanation.
The reason is simply that I’m doing it. That’s it.
Regardless of all my doubts, fears, and insecurities, I’m still doing what I
said I would do. I didn’t just talk about it.
I took action.
Knowing this has given me a boost of self-confidence, inspiration, and
motivation that keeps me moving forward. I feel now even more capable of
starting and completing every other project I have in mind.
If you would like to apply this to your own life, here is my advice. Next time you commit to something or make a small promise, make sure you do it.
It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just doing what you said you’d do is more than enough.
The more you practice this, the stronger the power of your words becomes, and
the more trust you build in yourself.
And if you are not sure you can keep a commitment, then don’t make it.
This is important. You don’t have to say yes to everything. You also
need to be honest and true to yourself.
Whenever I’m unsure I can keep my word, whether because I’m not that
interested or I’ve got other commitments, I just say, “I can’t” or “Maybe.
I’ll think about it.”
That might sound not very assertive, but that’s far better than watering down
the power of my words by breaking them.
Oh, in case you are curious, the monastery where I read that book is Kopan monastery. A fantastic monastery in Boudhanath, Kathmandu.
No comments:
Post a Comment