Acharya Prashant addresses the question of whether a simple decision or intention is sufficient to become independent of external influences. He explains that the effectiveness of such an intention depends on its source. Often, our resolutions, like New Year's goals, are themselves products of external influences and social trends rather than an internal realization. He points out that true liberation does not come from wanting to escape pain while seeking more pleasure, as both are external stimulations and part of the same duality. Real internal awakening occurs when one feels a detachment from the entire game of both pleasure and pain, moving beyond the duality that the world teaches.
