What we achieve depends on not just how we strive but also on what we believe Gita 11.33

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
Thank you. Hare Krishna. What we achieve depends not just on how we strive but also on what we believe.
Some people think that achievement depends primarily on, depends solely on hard work. Those who work the hardest will rise the highest. Well, that is not completely true.
We do need to work hard but hard work alone doesn’t determine the success. It is our inner conceptions that also matter that what is our belief. Striving is external, believing is internal.
Some people may go through the motions which are required for achieving something but if they lack inner confidence then those motions will not lead to success. Changing the external actions alone is not enough. When people have some self-belief some self-confidence then they can work extremely hard and their external endeavors also have a zeal, a zing to it which is not there otherwise.
So, essentially outer achievement it is a result of both our actions and our conceptions. How we strive and what we believe. So, what we believe means that what is our conception.
So, the Bhagavad Gita explains that there are multiple factors which combine to provide us the results of our actions and it is our endeavor is important but then there is divine grace also is important and when we have the faith that if we work that God helps those who help themselves. How do we help ourselves? By endeavoring wholeheartedly not just externally in terms of our actions but internally also to cultivate a mood of contribution that what we are doing is not just for our egoistic gratification but it is for our contribution. Then that belief helps us to grow and achieve that when we are working for a purpose bigger than ourselves then we can bring out our best and this is what the Bhagavad Gita indicates in 11.33 to Arjuna so therefore you arise and attain victory that you can conquer your enemies, you can have a prosperous kingdom by my arrangement your enemies have already been killed but that doesn’t mean you can just sit passively you have to strive you have to become an instrument you are an expert warrior, rambidextrous so then use all your skill to fight wholeheartedly O Arjuna and by my grace victory will be yours so when we strive externally and believe internally knowing that we are parts of the divine and are meant to contribute in a mood of service to the divine then we can achieve great things without becoming egoistic without going into mood swings if success doesn’t come and the greatest thing that we will achieve ultimately is that we will become deeply absorbed in our lord and attain the lord at the end of our lives thank you