On YouTube
When things go bad, I start panicking || Acharya Prashant, at Mithibai College, Mumbai (2022)
19.1K views
2 years ago
Panic
Love
Action
Present Moment
Worry
Worthiness
Surrender
Bhagavad Gita
Description

Acharya Prashant addresses the issue of panicking when things do not go as planned. He begins by stating that panicking never helps the outcome, regardless of whether one's actions are right or wrong. He explains that panic is not an external force that possesses a person without their permission; rather, it is an emotion that becomes dominant only when one chooses to support it. While the origin of panic might be biological, its development is a choice. Therefore, one must recognize panic as an enemy that spoils their chances and choose not to support it. The speaker further elaborates that panic is often a result of giving undue importance and seriousness to situations that are ultimately inconsequential. He illustrates this by reminding the audience of how seriously they took their class 8th exams, which now seem trivial. In the same way, the anxieties of today will appear foolish in the future. This pattern leads to wasting precious time and life in needless stress and inner misery over trivial matters. We are often worried about inconsequential things. The only way out of this cycle, according to Acharya Prashant, is love. This is not romantic love, but a love for the day-to-day, moment-to-moment, and breath-to-breath existence. It is a love for worthiness. He advises to attend to what is truly important and to give oneself completely to it. This involves learning to surrender, having the guts to be immersed, and dissolving in the present moment. When one is fully absorbed in a beautiful and meaningful action, there is no space left for worry or panic, as the concern for future results, the very source of stress, disappears. He concludes by emphasizing that action is the antidote to despair. When you choose to do something truly important and beautiful, you become so absorbed in the action that you stop caring about the results. The future ceases to exist for the person who is completely immersed in the present. This is the way to not worry, not panic, and not be concerned. Life will consume you if you give it too much seriousness. Instead, one should act in love, honesty, and courage, doing what is right and forgetting everything else.