Acharya Prashant discusses the limitations and pitfalls of following fixed ideals. He observes that people's ideals are often restricted by their nationality, religion, or culture, such as a Brazilian athlete looking up to Pele or a person of a specific faith finding it difficult to accept a figure from another faith as an ideal. He argues that having an ideal often destroys the possibility of originality because it forces one to follow a pre-established path or wear a traditional mask. Instead of 'ideals,' he proposes the concept of 'vision' or 'seeing,' which means knowing and observing clearly with one's own eyes rather than using borrowed perspectives. He explains that if the purpose of an ideal is to learn, then the entire existence is open for learning, from trees and plants to birds. However, when one fixes a specific person or concept as an ideal, they lose the ability to learn from its opposite; for instance, choosing white as an ideal prevents one from learning from black. He highlights how rigid ideals create conflict, such as a follower of Mahavira finding it difficult to understand Shri Krishna due to their differing stances on violence and war. He suggests that instead of imitating one person, one should understand everyone, as there is something to be gained from both the celebrated and the condemned figures of history. Acharya Prashant emphasizes that life has no boundaries except the ones we create ourselves. He encourages being open to all directions, like a house with open windows that allows wind to blow from everywhere without being swept away by it. He concludes that the more expansive and inclusive one's outlook is, the more complete their life will be, whereas narrow-mindedness leads to a diminished and restricted existence.
