How can we harmonize ourselves with our situation when say our boss works by opposite principles?
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Transcript
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Thank you. So, when I said we have to harmonize ourselves with the situation that we are in, does it mean that if we are having a job, a boss whose understanding is radically different from us, does that mean we just quit the job or what do we do practically? So, there are principles and there are practices. So, if we see the Bhagavad Gita, it focuses on principles.
Krishna does not tell Arjuna, fight this war. He gives it as a call, but his focus on Arjuna is think and decide what you want to do. Deliberate and decide what you want to do.
So, as a matter of principle, broadly speaking, whenever we face any unpalatable situation, there are three broad courses of action for us. One is change the person or change the situation, change ourselves or walk away from the situation. I mean, as you said, either I give up the job that is like walking away from the situation or I change myself and work according to the way the boss wants me to work or I explain my perspective and persuade the boss and do things in my way.
Now, which situation will work at what time? That is something which is going to vary according to timely circumstance. So, the important thing is not the specifics. The important thing is the principle.
The principle is that we do not react impulsively. The principle is that we deliberate intelligence and make a considered choice. Sometimes we feel, you know, this is a situation in which I have a better understanding of this.
I want to persuade my boss. I may talk with him. I try to explain things to him.
Sometimes it may not work. But if we are acting based on our intelligence, then even if we do not get the desired result, we will grow through that. Okay, maybe I did not make the presentation properly or maybe this person is of a particular nature.
He or she does not understand things. So, we will grow. It is not necessary for our growth to that every action of ours has to have the desired result.
Sometimes by doing a particular action, we may learn something valuable. And that also we will learn if we have done the action thoughtfully. Even if we have done the action thoughtlessly, we learn.
But the only thing we learn is I should have done like this. But if you have done an action thoughtfully and still does not work, okay, this is a strategy which I could have worked this way or this is what I learned from it. So, the important thing in life is that success and failure are not in our hands.
But our endeavors are in our hands. And what we should focus on is whether I am leading the best endeavors. And in some situations, changing others is the best endeavor.
In some situations, changing ourselves is the best endeavor. In some situations, just walking away from the situation is the best endeavor. So, what it will be specifically that can vary.
We have to deliberate, maybe it is a major decision, write down, read, visit and rethink it several times and then pray over it, consult some other well-wishers and then make a decision. So, the point is that do not make, do not act impulsively. Do not act impulsively, impulsively on the spur of the moment.
At that time, just press a pause button and think and deliberate and then make a decision. So, when I talk about that we be harmonious with our situation, that can mean various things that it can, how do I harmonize myself with the situation? If I want a 7-course, 8-course meal and I am in a hospital, if I am not sick, what am I doing in a hospital? I can go to a hotel and take a feast. But if I am sick, so if I want an 8-course feast and there is no reason for me to be in a hospital, then at that time harmonizing might mean I go to a hotel or I go somewhere that the feast is available.
But if I am sick, so in that case, one situation might be changing, the situation going somewhere else. In another case, if I am actually sick, an 8-course feast would mean that the course of my medicine will increase afterwards. It will aggravate my situation.
But better, I change myself at that time. So, according to our intelligence, if we act, then we will be guided towards the right decisions. Sometimes we make a wrong decision also, but even through that we will learn and move on.
Does that answer your question? Yes. Any other questions? So, thank you very much for your kind attention. So, we will have a short break now.