Don’t Give it a Second Thought!

A thought occurs to you and you want to carry it out.  But there is still ample time left for you to be able to carry your idea or work out.  During this time, there is no need for you to think about what you are going to do.  But your talking mind is different.  It is not satisfied that you had an idea and that you wish to carry it out.  It wants to take its share out of the pleasure of talking this repeatedly in the head. 

If it were to only repeat the idea, it would not be a problem.  But with every repetition, new takers arrive.  Your ego crops up and asks for its share in the whole business.  It tells you that you are a great person for having thought such a great idea.  It tells you how in comparison there are so many others who pale out.  

If you have not still carried out the idea, various psychiatric complexes start queueing up for their share in the idea.  Your attention seeking region tells you that you deserve praise for the idea.  It will put you in the position of just having delivered that speech or having completed that work and project the image of the audience or various people who flatter you.  

Talking further repeatedly, ruts are formed in the mind and the self-centered portion of your mind takes over, repeating the whole sequence of works indicating how you can be the center of great appreciation and praise.  

Then comes the day when you actually are to do the work and half your enthusiasm is gone. Your diligence is watered down.  All that talk is being replayed and forms a background noise that doesn’t let you do the work completely and single mindedly.  You forget the most obvious, make a near fool of yourself, or manage to save your face through some fortuitous break and heave a sigh of relief when it is over.  

If on the other hand you stopped thinking about all the reaction, but plan the work meticulously and carry out the work without thinking anything of it, then you are likely to finish the work with excellent credit and you will have ample time to congratulate yourself and feel genuinely good.

Therefore, learn to not give it a second thought!  Think once, think right and be done with it.  Repetitive thoughts drain your vital energy and remove your competency.  Praise and reflections can wait.  When it arrives at last, take it with gratitude and appreciate all those who have assisted you in any way.  

If there is a gap between having the idea and doing it, learn to not think of it in the gap.  Just do something else.  Let the gap remain.  Slowly become comfortable with having such gaps.  The silence of the mind during this gap allows your awareness to grow.  With growing awareness, you will eventually become bigger than the talkative mind.  With your increased presence, the mind will learn to listen to you.  The distinction is now clearer.  You are the master, and you choose what to think and when to think.  With this practice may you get a great deal of confidence in life and learn to handle pressure with panache and with increasing effortlessness.  And…….. “Don’t give it a second thought”.

………Vidya Shankar  H.N.