Siddarth Shukla

Embracing humility is indeed the starting point of personal growth and learning. When we acknowledge our ignorance, it opens the opportunity for us to seek truth. 

Most of us are either confused and sad or amused and excited. When one observes closely, everyone seems lost and uncertain in their life. We live in a fantasy of expectations, until reality hits our life with crisis. When reality does not meet our expectations, pain is experienced. Pain is inevitable in the game of life because death is the ultimate truth. While we desire the well-being of our loved ones, we often overlook that the harsh reality includes the inevitable pain of loss through death. Surprisingly, most of the times, we do not even register psychological pain, and turn towards pleasure to escape the presence of pain. Knee pain, heartbreak and missed credit card payments give us clear signals about our weak joints, fragile emotions, and pleasure-seeking behavior but we distract ourselves with the quick fixes of painkillers, pornography, and gambling. But, when one observes the totality of pain with patience, it brings awareness about the functioning of our mind.

Patience plays a crucial role in life, allowing us to navigate through uncertainties and complexities without being overwhelmed or discouraged. By patiently facing our ignorance, we gradually uncover insights and wisdom that contribute to a more fulfilling and purposeful life. Living with humility and patience enables us to embrace growth, cultivate resilience and ultimately find greater clarity amidst the distractions of everyday life. 

We are playing on the field of sorrow, which stages the struggle, hidden from our impatient minds – a constant battle between our truth-seeking and pleasure-seeking impulses, each guiding us either toward autonomy or slavery. We are aware that our capacity to rise above sorrow and embrace a world of joy resides only within us. However, our attachment towards pleasure-seeking impulses blinds us, leading our enslavement to superficial external comforts and a false sense of security. Through patient mind, we can observe how many of us find ourselves in between the conflict of truth-seeking and pleasure-seeking impulses. When our actions (external world) do not align with our impulses (inner world), psychological pain is experienced. Pain demands attention. By directing our attention to pain, we gain the ability to observe our actions: whether we are seeking escape from our suffering towards pleasure or utilizing passion to focus our mind to deconstruct our suffering. The simple act of acknowledging suffering associated with boredom, involuntary routine, unrealistic expectations, constant resentment, and sorrowful regrets bring awareness to our innate impulses for seeking pleasure in television, fast food, imitation, anger, and grief. With austerity, one can observe actions either contributing to one’s own psychic enslavement driven by worldly desires or acting in alignment with the universal goal for autonomy. 

“The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable” – James, A Garfield.

Truth-seeking impulses entail discomfort, but as the distinction between lies and truth crystallize, the intensity of discomfort diminishes through the removal of falsehoods. Those who instinctively veer toward pleasure of comfort and security instead, avoiding the journey of truth-seeking, are just NPCs(Non-player character) in the game of their life. 

Alarm goes off. Does not wake up. Hit snooze for an hour. Crawl out of bed. Sleepy Shower. Drive-thru breakfast. Sit in traffic. Late to work. Spend rest of the morning complaining about it. Throw some peers under the bus. Go out for lunch. Come back blotted and sleepy. Escape unfulfilling work by shopping online. Rush home. Order take-out food. Watch reality TV. Shitty sleep on the couch. Repeat.

NPCs recognize the potential for heroism within the narrative of their lives. This awareness adds a layer of sensitivity, especially when observing themselves indulging in a greasy burger while striving to lose weight and reclaim autonomy over their life’s script. 

Wake up before alarm goes off. Meditate to silent the mind. Hit gym. Shower. High-Protein Breakfast. Work on their life’s purpose. Appreciate quality time with their loved ones. Pursue a new hobby for the soul. Nourishing dinner in peace. Gratitude journal. Sound Sleep. Repeat.

Who is a hero? 

A hero possesses a focused mind, uncovering treasures in the vast expanse of the universe by unravelling the secrets of the immutable reality that lies beneath. Driven by discipline, they remain steadfast in the pursuit of autonomy, impervious to the allure of worldly desires. 

A hero emerges from the realms of NPCs, as heroism is not an innate quality, but a path forged through life’s challenges. No one is inherently born a hero: it is a title earned through experiences and choices. Indeed, the urge, for overcoming the life of an NPC induces the hunger for autonomy to be a hero.

Furthermore, upon achieving many goals in their journey, the hero does not succumb to arrogance or entitlement: instead, they remain humble, devoted and loving in their demeanor. 

We constantly embody both the NPC and the hero within ourselves, engaging in this dual conduct.  The primary reason behind our unawareness of this dual conduct is the absence of clear and concrete goals in our lives. After diligently pursuing a goal for several months, our actions become evident, either propelling us closer to the objective or away. Once our focus shifts from a set goal, pleasure-seeking impulses from the field of sorrow emerges and our indulgence in pleasures evokes feelings of confusion, shame, guilt, grief, and despair. 

“You can’t become aware of a problem unless it impacts a goal.” – Dan Koe

We inhabit our bodies, yet often lack explicit, voluntary objectives for our physical well-being. Consequently, we engage in mindless eating, coupled with a sedentary lifestyle and erratic sleeping patterns. It’s only when we establish a goal, such as losing 20 pounds, that we begin to discern the impact of our habits on the fluctuations of the scale. With patience, as we immerse ourselves in the pursuits of a goal over a season, we gain valuable insights. We can keenly observe the truth-seeking impulses that propel us toward our objectives, as well as the pleasure-seeking impulses that divert us from our intended path. Setting a goal, such as losing 20 pounds in four months, unveils the intricacies of our eating habits – revealing the mindful choices that contribute to weight loss and the indulgent moments that lead to weight gain. Opting for nutritious, home-cooked meal demands planning and communication, while a quick drive-thru run, offers instant gratification but may not align with our overarching goal. Upon grasping the key elements of achieving our goal to lose 20 pounds – mindful eating, consistent workouts, and disciplined sleep – we recognize the effectiveness of these practices. However, when our focus veers away from this dedicated process, succumbing to the allure of taste, skipping workouts, and indulging in late-night TV, we witness the dual nature of our behavior – oscillating between the mundane NPC and the heroic. The friction between these opposite roles generates a heat of negative emotions. 

Our minds often wander outward, driven by desires rather than goals, rendering us unaware of the internal negative emotions that arise. Our outward-looking mind struggles to confront or manage our negative emotions. Instead, it seeks momentary solace in the fleeting comfort of pleasure-seeking habits. 

For instance, imagine someone diligently striving to shed body fat. In a fleeting moment of distraction, they succumb to the temptation of a chocolate bar found in their kitchen cupboard, only to confront negative emotions upon reawakening their awareness to the original goal. 

As we nourish our souls with truth-seeking impulses through progress towards a goal, we simultaneously become more sensitive to the intensified pain caused by pleasure-seeking activities that divert us from our intended path. This intensified pain, arising from succumbing to pleasure-seeking impulses, often leads to one of two distinct outcomes: either abandoning the goal entirely or indulging in even more detrimental pleasures that sabotage any chance of goal attainment. While enjoying a chocolate bar on a pleasant evening may not significantly impede progress, attempting to assuage the guilt with subsequent indulgences in a pizza and beer dinner, followed by a doughnut/coffee breakfast and a heavy lunch, undoubtedly derails one from the goal of losing body weight. 

As our focus drifts away from our objectives and our actions consistently stray from the intended course, it’s our attachments to desires that drives us to seek guidance from a coach. A coach’s role is to guide in the transformation of our desires into tangible goals. 

The allure of a man flaunting six-pack abs while strolling on the beach with a beautiful woman in a bikini has mesmerized many. Once sporadically glimpsed on television, such imagery now inundates social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, often leaving young men feeling envious. This trend has led to the proliferation of unscrupulous coaches prioritizing financial gain over the clients’ well-being. Rather than advocating patience and consistency, they promote harmful quick fixes such as steroids and expensive supplements, disregarding their clients’ genuine health and progress. 

Consequently, those of us who are impatient and eager to achieve our goals often fall prey to deceitful coaches and suffer the detrimental side effects of steroids, excessive supplement use, and the practice of ego-lifting. Yet, only a select few, possessed of the patience and curiosity to uncover the truths that pave the path to their destination, actively seek out accomplished coaches. These coaches have traversed the journey themselves, reached the destination, and guided numerous pupils toward the shared objective. 

“When the student is ready the teacher will appear. When the student is truly ready. The teacher will disappear.” – Lao Tzu

Many of us fail to truly embody the role of a student in our lives. We often lack the patience, humility, attention, and focus required to genuinely practice the teachings of our instructors, free from the influence of our own conclusions and idiosyncrasies. In my view, the transition from being a novice NPC to becoming an ideal student in the arena of life is the most challenging leap.

A proficient coach assists a disciple not only in defining their goal but also in crafting necessary discipline to achieve them. While coach can facilitate the establishment of targets, the onus remains on the individual to hone their aim through consistent practice. While goals and discipline can be adopted, the cultivation of focus rests squarely on the individual’s shoulders. Maintaining a clear focus on a goal enables one to identify and navigate distractions effectively. 

For instance, a coach can transform a mere desire for six pack abs into a concrete goal of achieving a 10% body fat ratio. They can provide tailored training regimens, nutritional guidance, and regular progress assessments. However, it ultimately falls upon the individual to adhere to the prescribed plan and sustain unwavering focus on the objective. A coach cannot perform the workouts on behalf of the individual to achieve six-pack abs. They can certainly inspire greater effort in weightlifting and recommend adequate rest for recovery. Nonetheless, it remains the individual’s responsibility to prepare and consume nutritious meals while ensuring sufficient sleep for optimal recovery and progress. 

A focused mind nurtures a conducive environment and cultivates the discipline necessary for achieving one’s goals. The essence of focus lies in establishing barriers against distractions, inevitably carving out a pathway towards the desired goal. 

“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are.” – Steve Jobs

Consider the scenario of entering the gym: a person armed with a workout plan demonstrates a higher level of focus compared to someone without a plan. The later might spend their time in the gym engaged in conversations or taking selfies, potentially exercising for either a brief five minutes or extended two hours without a clear direction. Conversely, the individual with a pre-defined plan has erected boundaries against mundane conversations, spontaneous workouts etc. and paved a clear path forward, thereby training the muscle of focus throughout their time in the gym. 

Now, let’s consider the scenario of navigating through a dense forest. A person who ventures into the woods without a trail and lacks navigation understanding will inevitably find themselves lost multiple times on their journey to the other side. In contrast, an individual who follows a trail and possesses navigation skills will efficiently navigate through the forest, reaching the other side quicker and without getting lost. 

Staying focused entails adhering to a workout regimen or remaining on the designated trail. Establishing boundaries inherently carves out a path, and consistently following this path epitomizes focus. When one directs their attention toward a goal and adheres to or creates a regiment to achieve it, they exhibit discipline. Focus and discipline are inherently intertwined. 

For example, in the realm of fitness, if someone aims to achieve 10% body fat, their focus lies in fat loss, while their discipline could manifest in various forms such as yoga, running, traditional strength training or HIIT(high intensity interval training) workouts. Similarly, in the context of hiking through a forest, if the personal objective is to reach the opposite side of the forest, the focus lies in continuous movement, and the discipline could involve walking, running, or even crawling to accomplish this goal. 

Focus acts a refining tool, sieving through the various disciplines we encounter in our interactions with the environment, ultimately filling the cup of our goals with truth. 

Let me encapsulate the essence of this essay through personal experience. 

At the outset of my fitness journey, my primary ambition was to sculpt six-pack abs. Despite my chunky physique and non-existent knowledge of physical fitness, I held onto the belief that relentless dedication to crunches and sit-ups would eventually sculpt defined abs. However, after doing countless crunches for a season of Canadian summer, I found myself disappointed by the lack of visible changes in my abdominal muscles. The disappointment led me to abandon my goal of six-pack abs for the remainder of my late teens. 

It wasn’t until later in my late twenties, after more than a decade of experience in weightlifting and numerous diet discipline, that I grasped the concept of hypertrophy and the importance of a high-protein, calorie-deficit diet, and adequate recovery in achieving my goal of six-pack abs. Embracing this approach in 2019, I successfully reduced my body fat from 26% to 13% before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing a visible four-pack and inching closer to the 10% body fat threshold required for a well visible six-pack.

Reflecting on my journey, I realized I had been swayed by various fitness and diet disciplines propagated by internet gurus, many of which lacked grounding in universal truths. One of the many prevalent misconceptions I encountered was the notion that calories did not matter, and that cutting carbohydrates was the key to weight loss. Another fallacy suggested that intense focus in the gym was unnecessary, with consistency alone being sufficient for achieving fitness goals. Furthermore, it wasn’t until my late twenties that I recognized the critical role of sleep in my overall well-being, having previously believed that all-nighters were synonymous with hard work. I had unknowingly internalized numerous lies and delusions along my journey, only to debunk them through trial and error, realizing they hindered rather than propelled my progress.

Essentially, my fitness journey has underscored the importance of setting and sticking to clear goals in life. These goals cultivate the patience and focus required to discern truth from falsehood through the ongoing refinement of discipline. This discipline must align with the immutable realities of the universe.