Education and Career

भारत में यह मान्यता रही है कि अध्यात्म बुढ़ापे का काम है। लेकिन जहाँ भी स्वामी विवेकानंद की मूर्ति खड़ी होगी, उस जवान आदमी का तेज गवाही देता होगा कि अध्यात्म बुढ़ापे का नहीं, जवानी का काम है। जवानी अगर, जो सबसे ऊँचा काम हो सकता है, उसको नहीं दी, तो और क्या काम आएगी? उन्होंने युवाओं से कहा, ज़रा चुनौती स्वीकार करना सीखो, प्रतिस्पर्धा करना सीखो। बल ही जीवन है और दुर्बलता ही मृत्यु है। उचित ही है कि युवा दिवस मनाया जाता है उन्हीं के नाम पर।

If Vivekanand Comes Alive Today

36 min

We love to talk of Swami Vivekananda as a youth icon. And I am asserting that were he to be here today, it is the youth that would resist him the most. When he returned from the United States, a huge procession greeted him, right at the port. But when he asked for just a hundred people who could be his soldiers, he was denied. Nobody wants to accept a Swami Vivekananda. He was resisted then, he would be resisted even today.

Continuity, Not Perfection

15 min

What does imperfection look like? The face in the mirror — that’s imperfect. Every imperfect person, according to his or her conditioning, dreams of perfection in his or her particular way. Perfection is a concept, an imagination. So, should I chase this imaginary ideal called perfection, or should I just look at my current state? We are not okay as we are. And in this lies the inspiration to get better, to move on.

भीड़ के पीछे चलने में समस्या क्या है?

18 min

मनुष्य ही है जो बंधन का अनुभव करता है, इसलिए उसे अर्थ चाहिए। ज़िंदगी मिली है भीतरी बंधन तोड़ने के लिए, न कि भीड़ या रेस में दौड़ने के लिए। हमें लगता है रेस में दौड़ने वाले मेहनत कर रहे हैं, पर वो मौज कर रहे हैं। निरर्थक काम करने में तो मेहनत लगती है, लेकिन अकेले चलने और सार्थक काम करने में उससे कहीं ज़्यादा मेहनत लगती है। खोजो वो, जो जीवन को अर्थपूर्ण बना दे। भीड़ में जीवन नहीं लगाना है, क्योंकि भीड़ में निरर्थकता है। उस निरर्थकता से बचना ही सार्थकता है।

कब तक हालात को दोष दोगे?

22 min

सबसे बड़ा दोष है — कमज़ोरी, जो कहता है हम संकुचित हैं, सीमित हैं जबकि हमारे ऋषियों ने प्रेम में हमें बताया — 'अमृत की औलाद हो तुम, इतनी आसानी से कैसे लड़खड़ा सकते हो?' 'न दैन्यं न पलायनम्' — ना हम छोटे हैं, ना हम मैदान छोड़कर भागते हैं।

Beyond Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is a good thing, but a small thing. The real thing is having the right relationship with work because ‘work is life.’ If the right work happens as an employee — wonderful. As a partner — wonderful. And for the right work, if you have to start a concern, become an entrepreneur. But the objective must not be entrepreneurship; it must be right work.

उत्कृष्टता कैसे हासिल करें?

18 min

कोई होगा बहुत ऊँचा, उसको बोलो "अपनी ऊँचाई अपनी जेब में रखे। हमारे पास हमारी ज़िंदगी है, हमारा दुख है और हमें बेहतर होना है।" श्रीकृष्ण कहते हैं कि "योग: कर्मसु कौशलम्" माने बेहतर काम चुनूँगा और उस बेहतर काम को रोज़, क्रमशः बेहतर तरीक़े से करूँगा, क्योंकि कोई चमत्कार नहीं होता। अचानक से उड़कर के, छलांग मारकर कोई ऊँचाई तक नहीं पहुँच सकता। सीढ़ी दर सीढ़ी, लगातार ऊपर चढ़ते हुए ही उत्कृष्टता हासिल करनी पड़ती है।

कम समय में पूरा काम कैसे करें?

25 min

समय तब कम पड़ता है, जब वह बेकार चीज़ों में जा रहा हो। मैनेजमेंट का एक सिद्धांत है — व्हाट इज़ इम्पॉर्टेंट, मस्ट बी मेज़र्ड। अगर आप वक़्त को क़ीमती मानते हो, तो उसे मेज़र करना सीखो। जब तक आप समय को साफ़-साफ़ नहीं नापोगे, तब तक यह नहीं जान पाओगे कि समय बर्बाद कहाँ हो रहा है। समय जहाँ-जहाँ बच सकता है, बचाओ। यदि उसे बर्बाद होने से बचा लिया, तो 24 घंटे में अच्छे कामों को करने के लिए समय की कोई कमी नहीं होगी।

Weekday Blues, Weekend Highs

Can a man who is bored during the weekdays suddenly become lively over the weekend? Why is there a separation? There is work, and then there is something else. It means you do not know what you are doing. When you have no real relationship with your work, you do not have any relationship with yourself, and as a result, all your life is spent just seeking holidays.

Startup Story: Entrepreneurship as a Love Affair

24 min

One knows what one is getting into is definitely worth doing. It is something one can give herself to, irrespective of what comes out of it, that kind of certainty and then comes the rational planning and decision making part. To get into what is right without worrying too much about the outcome. To be sure that the effort and the process itself is worth it even if nothing or very little tangible comes out of it. That is faith.

Your Only Real Competition? Yesterday’s You

Your responsibility is to be better than yourself, not to compare with others. Ask, “How much better am I than yesterday?” You are on your own journey. Competing with others is neither wise nor possible. Focus on where you started and where you are today. The real battle is not with others but with yourself. The question is always, “How far have I come?” That’s the essence of wisdom and bravery—being your own best self through constant self-improvement.

Ambition - the burning need to achieve || Acharya Prashant (2015)

49 min

Acharya Prashant: We want to look at ‘ambition’. So, as I enter, I see that we have been singing Kabir; Kabir talking about achievement, about ambition, about greed and desire and he seems to be taking a clear position, it’s unmistakable. Let us not leave it ambiguous, there is a… read_more

Leadership Lessons for Success

To lead is to not be a fool. You're not there to—to charm people. You must first of all go within and figure out: what do you have for the other? It is great disrespect to the other, and injustice, to speak to him or her or even approach him before being internally sorted. I do not know my own life. I do not know the source of my own motivations. I do not know where my own desires come from, and I want to infect the other with the same desire in the name of leadership and motivation?

The stupidity of competition || Acharya Prashant, with youth (2013)

12 min

Questioner (Q): I think that life is a race and a competition. If you do not compete, you will lag behind and you will have to face the consequences.

Acharya Prashant (AP): What are the consequences?

Q: If we do not compete with the rest of the students, then we… read_more

Why Do We All Act so Blindly?

18 min

Questioner:* I am Darshan, and my question is very simple yet complicated. So why do we not work? So even after knowing that if we work, we will get something that we are looking for. So, to take an example, I had the opportunity to interact with a lot… read_more

Living a selfish life? || Neem Candies

1 min

People talk of personal time as opposed to professional time, right? They forget that the profession that they have chosen has also been chosen by the person. So, even that which they are mistakenly calling as professional time is only personal time.

Our lives have only personal time. To be… read_more

How To Avoid Distraction?

14 min

You say you want something, but you are distracted easily. Ask yourself, "Why am I attracted to anything?" Unless you find that, you are just a plaything in the hands of situations. If you really know, then knowing itself decides for you. Then there is no question of indecision or distraction because there are no options left.

नकली व्यक्ति को कैसे पहचानें?

8 min

हम ठीक वैसा ही देखते हैं, जैसा हम होते हैं। जो यह तय करना चाहता है कि दूसरा नकली है या नहीं, उसे पहले अपने आपको असली करना पड़ेगा। दूसरों से सतर्क मत रहो, अपने आप से सतर्क रहो। तुम्हारा सबसे बड़ा दुश्मन तुम्हारे भीतर ही बैठा हुआ है। तुम्हें एक क्षण नहीं लगेगा नकली को नकली जान लेने में, अगर तुम असली हो गए। जिसको दूसरे की सच्चाई जाननी है, उसको पहले अपनी सच्चाई जाननी पड़ेगी। अपने भीतर ही समाधान खोजना पड़ेगा।

Why Are You Power Hungry?

13 min

Hunger for power comes from an inner restlessness. And a deep hunger for power indicates a deep disease. The man who is running after power is the poorest man of all, because real poverty lies within. If you must have power, you must have power over your own mind. 'Before I try to influence anybody else, can I please change my own ways?'

इंस्टा मॉडल और एयर होस्टेस: ग्लैमर का गणित

22 min

प्रश्नकर्ता: आचार्य जी, मैं गर्ल्स हॉस्टल (लड़कियों का छात्रावास) में रहती हूँ, इंदौर में। तो वहाँ पर बहुत बड़ा हॉस्टल है। सौ-डेढ़ सौ लड़कियाँ रहती हैं तो उसमें से फ़िफ़्टी पर्सेन्ट या सिक्स्टी पर्सेन्ट (पचास या साठ प्रतिशत) कह सकते हैं, एयर होस्टेस (विमान परिचारिका) बनना चाहती हैं। मैंने पूछा… read_more

प्रतियोगी परीक्षा में असफल होने पर निराशा

तुम कमज़ोर हो, इसलिए लोग तुम्हें दबाते हैं

प्रश्नकर्ता: प्रतियोगी परीक्षाओं में लगातार असफल होने के बाद मैं अब सांसारिक प्रयासों से अनासक्त हो गया हूँ। क्या अध्यात्म में मुझे शरण प्राप्त हो सकती है ताकि मुझे सांसारिक प्रयत्न फिर करने ही ना पड़ें?

आचार्य प्रशांत: रॉंग नंबर। ऐसे थोड़ी है की इधर से पिट गए, उधर से… read_more

कैसे पता करें कि कोई कर्म ध्यान से निकल रहा है?

प्रश्नकर्ता: प्रणाम, आचार्य जी। मैं बचपन से एक धार्मिक परिवार में पला-बढ़ा हूँ। बचपन से पूजा-पाठ हमारे घर में चलता था। रामायण-महाभारत हमारे घर में चलता था। तो उन सब का देखा-देखी मैं भी सबसे रामायण-महाभारत साझा करता था। लोग खुश होते थे और मुझे भी एक तरह का प्रोत्साहन… read_more

खाली समय का कैसे उपयोग करें?

प्रश्नकर्ता: आचार्य जी, कैसे पता करें कि कोई कर्म ध्यान से निकल रहा है?

आचार्य प्रशांत: जब ये जाँचने की कोई ज़रूरत ही न पड़े, कि सर्वप्रथम मैं जो कर रही हूँ वो सही है या गलत और दूसरी बात कि मुझे जो लग रहा है, जो आन्तरिक निर्देश प्राप्त… read_more

19 min

समय मिले तो उसे तत्काल किसी सार्थक काम में लगा दो। समय का एक पल भी अपने लिए बचा लिया, तो मरोगे। व्यक्तिगत समय के अलावा और कोई नर्क नहीं है। हमें बड़ा अच्छा लगता है बोलना, ‘थोड़ा Personal Time मिलना चाहिए न।’ तुम्हारी ज़िंदगी के सब झंझट Personal Time में ही पैदा हुए थे। ये सज़ा मिली है समय चुराने की, कि आज सौ झंझटों से घिरे हुए हो।

What is Real Leadership?

Leadership is doing what you must. A leader doesn’t care about followers. The common perception of leadership is nothing but ego- that I am superior, I am enlightened, I have something to give, and you all follow me. This is not leadership. The real leader is essentially self-centred. Followers may be there, but they are incidental.

The Key to Progress || Neem Candies

1 min

A lot of progress, even in the material sense, happens only by inviting pain. That which we call as discipline, even in the loose sense, is nothing but an invitation to pain. Is there discipline without pain? You have to get up at some point in the morning—doesn’t that involve… read_more

वर्तमान में जीना: अध्यात्म या औद्योगिक छलावा?

8 min

प्रश्नकर्ता: कोई काम करते हैं या कोई बुक पढ़ते हैं, तो मन उस समय नहीं होता, वो भविष्य या भूतकाल में चला जाता है। ज़्यादातर प्रेज़ेन्ट (वर्तमान) में नहीं रहता है। तो क्या करें कि वो अधिकांशतः वर्तमान में ही रहे?

आचार्य प्रशांत: क्या करोगे तुम वर्तमान में रहकर?

प्र:… read_more

Secrets of an Authentic Personality

On Education, Corporate Life and Career Progress

A. Objective and Fear

Wherever there is an objective, there would be fear associated with it. You hope to get something, and you fear that you may not get it. Don’t you see that a man who is chasing goals has condemned himself to live in fear?

It is possible… read_more

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… read_more

Want More Pleasure?

Identity, Ambition, and the Search for Fulfilment

Questioner: Acharyaji, my question is that the greed of getting more and more pleasure is increasing with time, and finally I’m finding myself getting stuck in the vicious circle of getting more and more pleasure. Sir, what are the ways that you could suggest to me to get out of… read_more

12 min

Questioner: Pranam sir, I am Ram Surendra Singh, a research scholar from the Mathematics Department. Sir, we all are dealing with physical matter here but if we see a periodic table, all the elements in there, and if someone knows how to play with those elements they can all create… read_more

Sir, Why This After IIT-IIM-UPSC?

Why most People Fail in their Goals || AP Neem candies

Questioner: Acharya Ji, I think this question may be on behalf of many of us sitting in this auditorium. Every student sitting in this auditorium had a dream not of getting admission in Lakshminarayanan Institute of Technology (where the session is being held), but getting into IITs. Then, after IIT,… read_more

3 min

Acharya Prashant: If I am incomplete, then sitting where I am, what would be the quality of my actions, thoughts, and imagination? They, too, would be of an incomplete nature.

So, incompleteness is projecting more incompleteness for itself and then trying with all its might to reach more incompleteness. How… read_more

Be Committed, even to your Wrong Choices || AP Neem Candies

6 min

Acharya Prashant: Whatever you are doing, there has to be honesty in that. What is important is that you do not say one thing and do another thing. If you look at the great scientific discoveries or inventions, the scientist or the explorer would be busy in his chosen area… read_more

Leader and Follower: A Dance of Power or a Loss of Liberty?

How can you lead others if you are still dependent on others? The leader must first and foremost be a person who has attained his inner completion. Only then he can be of genuine use to anybody. “If I need others, I will exploit others. If I do not need others then I can give something to others. If I do not need others then I am in a position to give something to them and that is a healthy relationship”.

How to Stop Thinking About the Future?

20 min

You think that since you have dropped a lot of material stuff behind, you can live at ease without any worry but that's not how it is. One central belief that does not allow man to live freely and fully – “I will be my own master. My intellect will decide the next step.” If you keep thinking about what you need to do next via the intellectual route, then you still haven’t dropped your misplaced belief, in your power to take care of yourself.

अध्यात्म और जवानी में क्या सम्बन्ध है?

एक ओर तो शरीर को बनाकर रखना है, और दूसरी ओर शरीर से चिपक भी नहीं जाना है - जैसे शरीर एक उपकरण है, एक संसाधन है; इस्तेमाल करना है उसका। लेकिन जिस चीज़ का इस्तेमाल करना है, उसको इस्तेमाल करने के लिए ही सही, स्वस्थ और मज़बूत तो रखोगे न? मज़बूत रखना है, लेकिन इससे पहचान नहीं बाँध लेनी है। जब मौक़ा आएगा, इसको हँसते-हँसते त्याग भी देंगे। और शरीर की जितनी हम सेवा कर रहे हैं, जितना इसको तेल पिला रहे हैं, जितना इसको व्यायाम दे रहे हैं, इससे दूना इससे काम लेंगे।

Hard Work vs Luck

8 min

Whatsoever affects you but happens without your choice, or without your will is luck. If you are master of your mind, then luck can have no effect upon you. Because battles are won or lost in the mind. When you are really-really enjoying, then you will find that you are doing so much of hard work without even realizing that you are working hard. Don’t work hard, enjoy what you are doing, and then a lot of hard work will happen on its own.

उस खास नौकरी की चाहत || (2021)

How to Do Career Planning?

प्रश्नकर्ता: आचार्य जी, प्रणाम। जीवन में आगे बढ़ने के लिए मन बहुत कुछ पाना चाहता है; मूलत: इसमें आर्थिक लाभ भी छुपा होता है। लेकिन पाँच-छह महीने कुछ किया और फिर कुछ और करने को मन चाहता है। मन को समझने का प्रयास किया, आपके कुछ वीडियोज़ देखे। एक वीडियो… read_more

7 min

You've heard there's competition and you must plan to survive, but without understanding 'career' or knowing that a mind that is always competing becomes diseased. This fear is also implanted by others. It isn't yours, yet you've imbibed it. Understand the mind, the world. Then you will know what is worth doing.

Want to Beat the Competition?

13 min

Every human being wants to feel special, and therefore we want to believe that our own conditions are extraordinary. Competitiveness is there in our genes. We bring competitiveness to the corporate world, to the world of trade, business, governance, education, etc. from the jungle. If you go to the jungle—the place we all come from—what do you find there? Continuous competition. And if you listen to Darwin, he says evolution itself is a result of competition.

Why Is Our Attention-Span Declining?

It is primarily not about the span of attention. The important thing is not really for how long you can hold your attention on an object. The important thing is, what is the quality of the object you are attending to, and the nature of the human consciousness is such that, only very specific type of objects can really hold your attention for long.

Things You DON'T Need to Have a Great Life

21 min

Questioner: I have something to say. There is a very famous line which is called─ the survival of the fittest. Now, I am an actor, and I’m also a medical practitioner. I studied cardiology, and as an actor, I have always advocated less makeup and simpler ways of life to… read_more

Sir, Are You Successful?

6 min

Questioner: Good afternoon and Jai Hind sir. My question to you is that people define success by different terms like influence, happiness, fame, name, etc. So, sir when did you start considering yourself success?

Acharya Prashant: First of all, thanks for inviting me here. I don't consider myself a success… read_more

Can Vedanta Address the Problem of Economic Recession?