Passion

Is It Passion or Peer Pressure?
Is It Passion or Peer Pressure?
15 min
It's difficult to be born in India and have a passion for ice hockey. Few kids aspire to make a career in rugby or ice hockey, while many are passionate about cricket. Passion arises from surroundings, not internally. It may present itself as something internal and heartfelt, but it is as external as peer pressure.
जुनून या सामाजिक प्रभाव?
जुनून या सामाजिक प्रभाव?
11 min
चाहे वो मेरी रूचि हो, चाहे मेरी पसंद हो, चाहे मेरे लक्ष्य हों; हम हमेशा पाते हैं कि हम कभी भी उसमें पूर्णता से अपनेआप को डुबो नहीं पाते, क्योंकि वो हमारे होते ही नहीं हैं। वो कहीं बाहर से आये होते हैं। हमने बस मान लिया होता है कि वो हमारे अपने है। मेरे अपने वो होते ही कहाँ हैं? मेरा अपना तो तब कुछ हो जब पहले मैं स्वयं को जानूं। कि जब ये शब्द बना था, जिन्होंने ये शब्द बनाया था, वो अच्छी तरह जानते थे कि पैशन-वैशन कुछ होता नहीं है।
‘I want’ versus ‘I must’
‘I want’ versus ‘I must’
1 min

Questioner: Is it possible to live without a target in life? I set a target for myself so that I have something to strive for, so that I have a sense of direction, but the thought of not achieving this target also brings sorrow and fear. So how can a

On Education, Corporate Life and Career Progress
On Education, Corporate Life and Career Progress
32 min

Questioner: Good evening everyone, my name is Saurabh Sardana and you are watching the first episode of season 2, ‘Recast.’ I’m so glad to have you with me today, Acharya Prashant Ji. I’m pretty sure, that most of you that most of you sort of follow him on one of

आइ.आइ.टी की डिग्री, पर्वतारोहण का खिंचाव, मन मे द्वंद || आचार्य प्रशांत (2020)
आइ.आइ.टी की डिग्री, पर्वतारोहण का खिंचाव, मन मे द्वंद || आचार्य प्रशांत (2020)
5 min

प्रश्नकर्ता: मैं एक मध्यम वर्गीय परिवार से हूँ और बचपन से ही बहुत कम महत्वाकांक्षी रहा हूँ। खेल-खेल में ही मैंने जेईई का एग्ज़ाम क्रैक किया (परीक्षा उत्तीर्ण की) और आइआइटी खड़गपुर में इलेक्ट्रॉनिक्स इंजीनियरिंग (अभियान्त्रिकी) करने का मौका मिला।

इंजीनियरिंग के दूसरे वर्ष में ट्रैकिंग (पर्वतारोहण) करने का मौका

अपनी प्रतिभा का कैसे पता करूँ?
अपनी प्रतिभा का कैसे पता करूँ?
4 min

आचार्य प्रशांत: सवाल है, ‘ये टैलेंट, प्रतिभा नाम की चीज़ क्या होती है? और कैसे पता करूँ कि मुझेमें क्या प्रतिभा है?’

निशांत, जिसको तुम प्रतिभा बोलते हो, यह तो आदमी की बनाई हुई धारणा है न, तुम अगर भारत में हो और तुमको एक लकड़ी से एक गेंद को

Do Follow Your Passion but With Utmost Care
Do Follow Your Passion but With Utmost Care
9 min
First of all consider the reality of what you are passionate about. The questioner is saying that in moments of decision-making, do we go with our passion, or with our logic and rationality as the mind suggests it to us? So, I begin with passion. First of all, enquire into it, and that should be the first thing because one is obviously biased towards her passion. Even if the mind is suggesting other things, we all feel like following the course of our passion. Since passion appeals so much to us and we feel like leaning towards it very automatically, why not figure out the truth of the passion? What makes you passionate about something? From where did one pick up her passion? Was one always passionate about such a thing?
Smart Work vs Hard Work - Which Is Better?
Smart Work vs Hard Work - Which Is Better?
6 min
Smart work means being a little cunning, chalu (street smart), knowing shortcuts, and having connections in the right places. That’s what the world means by ‘smart work’. Unfortunately, choosing between hard work and smart work is like choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea. Whichever way you go, you are doomed. Hard work and smart work—what does hard work mean? Hard work means I do not know what I am doing, why I am doing it, or who is doing it, but I have been told that doing is important, so I am just doing and doing; that is hard work.
Are Your Hobbies and Interests Really Yours?
Are Your Hobbies and Interests Really Yours?
7 min
The world is full of people who pursued what they call their interest, or their hobby—or their love even—and kept feeling as frustrated as you probably do. See, the influences that others have upon us, we resist them. So, as you are saying, your parents have a certain influence upon you. You want to resist it, you don’t feel comfortable. There is a constant feeling that, “I am doing something under somebody’s influence or pressure.
A passionate life || Acharya Prashant, with youth (2013)
A passionate life || Acharya Prashant, with youth (2013)
6 min

Question: How do I explore my passion?

Speaker: I am sure this question is relevant to many others if not everybody. First of all this question has to be asked on a clean slate. Those of us who have already believed some external passion to be the real passion, they

Do you want to progress? || Neem Candies
Do you want to progress? || Neem Candies
1 min

Man wants progress, and progress means an ascension, an elevation. It is as if man wants to be elevated to some high sky. That’s what you say, right? “I am rising up, I am progressing.” What is the intention of this tendency to keep progressing? The intention is to progress

Smile in tears || Neem Candies
Smile in tears || Neem Candies
1 min

Ashish Nehra retired and he said, “It isn’t as if there was pain in my body; sometimes I was searching for my body in the pain. Pain is everywhere—where is the body?” He used to have one surgery every two days. You get the idea, right? So many surgeries he

What is passionate living? To sit in a movie theatre as you sit in Satsang|| Acharya Prashant (2016)
What is passionate living? To sit in a movie theatre as you sit in Satsang|| Acharya Prashant (2016)
4 min

Listener: It is disappointing to see that the way I sit in your session and in a movie theatre is predetermined and hence conditioned. And that affects the learning.

Acharya Prashant: And then your learning would remain incomplete because a movie has as much to teach as a session like

Only a worthy cause can inspire the best within you || NIT Jamshedpur (2020)
Only a worthy cause can inspire the best within you || NIT Jamshedpur (2020)
4 min

Questioner: I worked as a software developer for three and a half years, but then I moved to soft-skills training due to job dissatisfaction. Then I left that as well, and worked in sales for three to four years. I was always interested in the field I was changing my

Calling versus Interest || Acharya Prashant, with youth (2014)
Calling versus Interest || Acharya Prashant, with youth (2014)
7 min

Acharya Prashant (AP): Ekansh is saying, “Sir alright, you said my work should come from my calling.” He is saying, “But today I am interested in one thing, five years later I might be interested in another thing. Then what will happen? Should I change my work, my trade, my

How to be the real cool dude? || Acharya Prashant (2019)
How to be the real cool dude? || Acharya Prashant (2019)
9 min

Question: Pranaam Acharya Ji. From other’s perspective I look like a cool and calm person, which I think I am at times. But I do have a good amount of ego inside. How can I be the same ‘cool and calm’ person from inside as well?

Please guide me on

How much to spend on the self || Neem Candies
How much to spend on the self || Neem Candies
1 min

How much to spend on oneself? As much as is needed to extract the maximum work and value from oneself. There might be times when you need to spend on servicing the car. Fine, that much expense is needed. Otherwise, the car will not be helpful anymore. I need to

When you love victory || Neem Candies
When you love victory || Neem Candies
1 min

When you are serious about victory, you do not strike at the enemy without being fully prepared. Those who just plunge themselves into battles without having checked their preparedness are the ones who don’t love victory too much. Because this battle is important, and because this battle must be won,

Beyond passion || Neem Candies
Beyond passion || Neem Candies
1 min

Passion is as much an external thing as, let’s say, peer pressure. Somebody chooses his work or occupation going by market forces or peer pressure or family pressure, and then there is someone who says, “I am choosing my passion for my livelihood”; these two are hardly different. Even if

Before you support others || Neem Candies
Before you support others || Neem Candies
1 min

What do you mean by supporting others? Providing them with crutches? Is that what you mean by support?

The greatest support you can offer to others is your own excellence. The greatest support you can offer to others is your own love and passion and determination and creativity and freedom.

How to come out of our comfort zone? || Acharya Prashant, at RVCE Bangalore (2022)
How to come out of our comfort zone? || Acharya Prashant, at RVCE Bangalore (2022)
7 min

Questioner (Q): Sir my question is, whenever we take decisions in life, we tend to take the easier path despite it not being beneficial to us. We like to stay in our comfort zone. So how do we come out of this? How do we push ourselves to take the

Force luck to honor your determination || Neem Candies
Force luck to honor your determination || Neem Candies
1 min

Luck means that you are getting something unexpected and big, right? That’s what you call as being lucky.

Keep working hard. Do not wait for luck. You can force luck. You can tell him, “I am working so hard that you will have to come to me.”

Force luck. Don’t

Unlock your potential || Neem Candies
Unlock your potential || Neem Candies
1 min

You have to fight without strength. It is only then that you realize that you are not without strength. If you keep waiting for strength before getting into the fight, then you will never have the strength to put up any fight. Had Arjuna never made himself available to the

What does your heart beat for? || Neem Candies
What does your heart beat for? || Neem Candies
2 min

Passion, too, comes from surroundings, but passion becomes dangerous because it presents itself as if it is something internal. Not only does it present itself as something internal, it decorates itself as something of the heart.

The fellow will say, “My heart beats for cricket.” You must ask him: Why

Be your own hero  || Neem Candies
Be your own hero || Neem Candies
1 min

Set high standards and live up to them. And, in living up to them, if you have to fail many a times or pay a high price, be prepared.

Fight a high battle. Be your own hero. Heroes don’t have to cry in loneliness on their pillows, right? That’s one

Surprise the enemy || Neem Candies
Surprise the enemy || Neem Candies
1 min

Keep fighting. Keep fighting till your victory, and keep fighting in your defeat. The second part is more important. Keep fighting even when you have been beaten down. Keep fighting even when yours looks like a hopeless cause, a lost battle. Don’t just start wallowing in self-pity and self-abuse. “Oh!

So concerned with what others say? || Acharya Prashant (2019)
So concerned with what others say? || Acharya Prashant (2019)
2 min

Question: Acharya Ji, my family keeps asking that my I am never interested in doing general stuff. They keep asking what I want to do, and where I want to go. My reply to them always is, that – “I do not know.”

I don’t want to do this, that

Why an IITian loses focus, and the purpose of life || IIT Kharagpur (2021)
Why an IITian loses focus, and the purpose of life || IIT Kharagpur (2021)
15 min

Questioner (Q): During our preparation for IIT JEE, we had to pass through a phase where we were not socializing much in order to focus on our studies. But as soon as we enter IIT, we are faced with a scenario where we are required to be a social person,

इस बंदे को रोक कर दिखाओ || नीम लड्डू
इस बंदे को रोक कर दिखाओ || नीम लड्डू
1 min

जो आदमी साहस के साथ अपने लिए एक सही लक्ष्य, सही काम, सही अभियान खोज लेता है, वो आदमी फिर बहुत मुश्किल से रुकता है। रुकेगा भी तो, पल-दो-पल को रुकेगा, हफ्ते-दो-हफ्ते को रुकेगा, महीने-दो-महीने को रुकेगा। वो कमर कस कर फिर आगे बढ़ जाएगा। हो सकता है वो आगे

Creativity arises from nothingness || Acharya Prashant (2014)
Creativity arises from nothingness || Acharya Prashant (2014)
9 min

Question: The creator is in every bit of the creation, then why do we call the world illusionary?

Acharya Prashant: Don’t call the world illusionary. “The creator is the creation” is not merely an aphorism. If you can look at the wall and see just creativity here, then wonderful, continue

Unlock your full power || Neem Candies
Unlock your full power || Neem Candies
1 min

When you stand in front of a client and make an important presentation, what is it that makes you go weak in the knees? Expectations, greed… And there is only one solution to greed: Rama.

You try to feel like a champion. But in front of your boss, you discover

How to know the real purpose of life? || (2015)
How to know the real purpose of life? || (2015)
3 min

Questioner: How do we understand the purpose of our being?

Yesterday we had a puja at our place and the priest said that even when the leaf moves, it moves due to the will of God. So, everything that exists has a purpose and there is a will of God.

You don’t bother, do you? || Neem Candies
You don’t bother, do you? || Neem Candies
1 min

Even when you are identified with being the winner or the loser, still there is something within you which can neither be a winner nor a loser. It is your fundamental nature. It is your fundamental nature that gets hidden when you are obsessed with winning or losing.

The fact

Fight a high battle ||Neem Candies
Fight a high battle ||Neem Candies
1 min

Set high standards and live up to them. And in living up to them, if you have to fail many a times or pay a high price, be prepared.

Fight a high battle. Be your own hero. Heroes don’t have to cry in loneliness on their pillows, right?

That’s one

How to know the right work for oneself?
How to know the right work for oneself?
10 min

Questioner (Q): What does Khalil Gibran mean, when he says, “He who works in marble, and finds the shape of his own soul in the stone, is nobler than he who ploughs the soil.”

Acharya Prashant (AP): What is work?

All work involves action.

As human beings, we are beings

How to rise above material things in life? || Acharya Prashant (2018)
How to rise above material things in life? || Acharya Prashant (2018)
8 min

Question: Acharya Ji, we remain attached to the material things and eventually it all leaves us when we die. How do I detach myself from this old and disappointing pattern of material based existence, that I need a job and money, so that I can be happy?

Acharya Prashant Ji:

How to get one's passion and sensitivity back? || (2016)
How to get one's passion and sensitivity back? || (2016)
5 min

Questioner: I am at a stage in my life, where I lack passion in everything. Be it my intimate relationships with my loved ones, or be it my career, I feel numb. It is like life has become a movie or a moving painting, and I am a detached viewer.

What is smart work? || Acharya Prashant, with youth (2014)
What is smart work? || Acharya Prashant, with youth (2014)
5 min

Questioner: Sir, nowadays it is said that it is not the hard work that can lead you to achieve whatever you want it is actually the smart work. What is this smart work actually?

Acharya Prashant : Jugaad! Nothing else!

That’s what the world means by smart work.

Be a

ज़िन्दगी बेचे बिना कैरियर नहीं बनेगा? || आचार्य प्रशांत, आइ.आइ.टी पटना सत्र (2021)
ज़िन्दगी बेचे बिना कैरियर नहीं बनेगा? || आचार्य प्रशांत, आइ.आइ.टी पटना सत्र (2021)
15 min

प्रश्नकर्ता: आईआईटी पटना के कुछ छात्रों के प्रश्न थे। जैसे काफ़ी सारे विद्यार्थी ये जानना चाह रहे थे कि सक्सेस (सफलता) क्या है, और ऐसा करियर कैसे चुना जाए कि हमें सक्सेसफुल (सफल) महसूस हो? अगर हम उदाहरण के तौर पर देखें कि किसी की इच्छा अगर पेंटर बनने में

अगर आज होते भगत सिंह || आचार्य प्रशांत (2020)
अगर आज होते भगत सिंह || आचार्य प्रशांत (2020)
11 min

आचार्य प्रशांत: समझ में नहीं आ रहा क्या कि जब भगत सिंह कहते थे कि वो नास्तिक हैं तो वो वास्तव में परंपरागत धर्म, सड़े-गले धर्म, संस्थागत धर्म को नकार रहे थे। नहीं तो एक ऊँचे आदर्श के लिए शरीर की आहुति दे देने से बड़ा धार्मिक काम क्या होगा?

अपनी रुचियों से सावधान! || आचार्य प्रशांत के नीम लड्डू
अपनी रुचियों से सावधान! || आचार्य प्रशांत के नीम लड्डू
5 min

आचार्य प्रशांत: अहंकार कहता है – रुचि को प्रधानता दो।

अध्यात्म कहता है – धर्म प्रधान है।

अध्यात्म का अर्थ ही है – रुचि की परवाह ही न करना, और उस तरफ़ चलना जिस तरफ़ धर्म है, जिधर सत्य है।

रुचि की तरफ़ चलना माने वृत्तियों के चलाए चलना।

‘रुचि’

आपकी असली ताक़त || आचार्य प्रशांत के नीम लड्डू
आपकी असली ताक़त || आचार्य प्रशांत के नीम लड्डू
3 min

आचार्य प्रशांत: दुनिया की कुल संपत्ति दो-चार प्रतिशत महिलाओं के पास है, पच्चानवे प्रतिशत पुरुषों के पास है। दुनिया की संसदों में और विधान सभाओं में स्त्रियों का अनुपात पाँच-दस प्रतिशत, नब्बे प्रतिशत कौन हैं? पुरुष हैं। दुनिया की कंपनियों में, शीर्ष पदों पर जो लोग हैं—'सी एक्सओज़' बोलते हैं

क्या बुद्ध नास्तिक थे? हम ज्ञानियों की बातों का उल्टा अर्थ क्यों करते हैं? || आचार्य प्रशांत (2023)
क्या बुद्ध नास्तिक थे? हम ज्ञानियों की बातों का उल्टा अर्थ क्यों करते हैं? || आचार्य प्रशांत (2023)
24 min

प्रश्नकर्ता: नमस्ते आचार्य जी। सभी उपनिषद् और वेदान्त भी इसी मूल प्रश्न पर आते हैं कि आप कौन हो? माने दुख में हो आप और उद्देश्य एक ही है कि दुख से मुक्ति मिले। बुद्ध के भी चार आर्य सत्य इसी की घोषणा करते हैं, दुख है, कारण है, मुक्ति

ये दुनिया बहुत बड़ा समंदर है कीचड़ का और...| Acharya Prashant | Motivational Video | Motivation |
ये दुनिया बहुत बड़ा समंदर है कीचड़ का और...| Acharya Prashant | Motivational Video | Motivation |
11 min

आचार्य प्रशांत: मेरे घर में लाइब्रेरी (पुस्तकालय) थी। उसमें कुछ क़िताबें तो चलो मैं बच्चा था तो मेरे स्तर की थीं, पर ज़्यादातर क़िताबें वो थीं जो आप पढ़ा करते थे और आपके ज़माने की, आपके कॉलेज के दिनों की (वयस्कों की ओर इंगित करते हुए)। मैं वो भी पढ़

एक ही है प्रेम के लायक || आचार्य प्रशांत (2023)
एक ही है प्रेम के लायक || आचार्य प्रशांत (2023)
9 min

प्रश्नकर्ता: आचार्य जी प्रणाम, मेरा प्रश्न है कि दुख बहुत ज़्यादा आता जा रहा है, जैसे-जैसे मैं सत्य के निकट आ रही हूँ, मुझे बहुत ज़्यादा उदासीनता, बहुत ज़्यादा आ रही है।

मतलब मैं बहुत ही स्पीड (गति) से चीज़ों को त्यागती जा रही हूँ, ये भी नहीं चाहिए, वो

रुचि की पहचान, ध्यान, और सेवाभाव || आचार्य प्रशांत (2019)
रुचि की पहचान, ध्यान, और सेवाभाव || आचार्य प्रशांत (2019)
9 min

प्रश्नकर्ता : आपके एक वीडियो में सुना था कि कैसे पता लगे कि हम उसके क़रीब हैं, कि हमको कुछ प्राप्त हुआ है या नहीं हुआ है। तो उसमें आपने कहा था कि अगर चीज़ों को खोने से कम डर लगने लगे तो समझ लो उसके क़रीब हो, या बेवजह

जीवन में लाएँ उत्कृष्टता! || आचार्य प्रशांत (2019)
जीवन में लाएँ उत्कृष्टता! || आचार्य प्रशांत (2019)
3 min

आचार्य प्रशांत: तुम जो कुछ भी कर रहे हो, उसमें तुम अपनी सीमाओं को और अपने बंधनों को चुनौती दो, और आगे-ही-आगे बढ़ो; ऐश्वर्य फिर उत्कृष्टता का ही दूसरा नाम हुआ। किसका दूसरा नाम हुआ? उत्कृष्टता, एक्सीलेंस का।

सुन रहे हो तो सुनने का ऐश्वर्य क्या है? समझना। एक श्रोता

सही ज़िन्दगी का ये बड़ा लक्षण || नीम लड्डू
सही ज़िन्दगी का ये बड़ा लक्षण || नीम लड्डू
1 min

देखिए यही एकमात्र तरीका है ये अपनी छोटी-सी ज़िंदगी सही तरीके से जीने का – जो सही है वो करना। हथियार डाल दो, मजबूर हो जाओ, बिलकुल समर्पण कर दो कि जो सही काम है वो तो करना ही है, अंजाम क्या होगा ना हम जानते हैं, ना हमें परवाह

शेर की तरह जियो || नीम लड्डू
शेर की तरह जियो || नीम लड्डू
1 min

सबसे पहले यह समझो कि दूसरे तुम में कमज़ोरी देख रहे हैं न, इसीलिए तुम पर चढ़ने की कोशिश कर रहे हैं। अगर वह तुममे कमज़ोरी देखेंगे ही नहीं तो तुम पर चढ़ने की कोशिश भी नहीं करेंगे। बात यह नहीं है कि उसने जो भी कहा है वह सही

यू.पी.एस.सी की परीक्षा में असफल हो गए?  || नीम लड्डू
यू.पी.एस.सी की परीक्षा में असफल हो गए? || नीम लड्डू
2 min

जिस साल मेरा चयन हुआ था, पाँच लाख बैठे थे और सीट थी मुश्किल से, मेरे ख्याल से, ढाई-सौ, तीन-सौ। वो जो पूरी प्रक्रिया है वो बनी ही ऐसी है कि उसमें से हज़ार में से नौ-सौ-निन्यानवे लोग अचयनित ही निकलेंगे और यह बात तुमको पहले से पता होती है