Acharya Prashant addresses the question of why the mind wanders while performing a task. He explains that this happens because we do not perform actions for their own sake, but to achieve something else through them. For instance, students do not study for the love of studying, but to obtain a degree. The target is not the act of studying, but the degree. If the degree were offered without studying, no one would study. This indicates that the real purpose is not the action itself but its outcome. The speaker further elaborates that this chain of desire continues. The degree is sought for a job, the job for money, the money for material possessions like a car, and ultimately, all these are pursued for some form of pleasure. This creates a fundamental conflict: the mind is engaged in one activity (the means) while its focus is on another (the end). This division is the root cause of distraction. The mind is doing one thing, but it wants something else, which is more important to it. Therefore, the mind naturally wanders towards what it truly desires. Acharya Prashant uses the analogy of an eagle that flies high in the sky, but its gaze is fixed on a dead mouse on the ground. It flies high only to get a better view of its prey. Similarly, no matter how noble the task we are engaged in, our mind is fixated on the lowly pleasure it seeks. The mind thinks, "If the ultimate goal is pleasure, why not seek it right now?" This is why it gets distracted by thoughts of immediate gratification. The problem lies in our conditioned values, where we have been taught to prioritize pleasure, money, and power without questioning their true worth. Our role models are often those who embody this pursuit of indulgence, reinforcing these values within us.
