Acharya Prashant begins by defining external growth as the process of earning, accumulating, learning, and gaining knowledge and experience. He states that while this is all fine, it is crucial to constantly ask for whom this accumulation is happening. When one asks this question, the entire situation shifts to a different plane. We do not earn money for the sake of money, nor do we gain knowledge or experience for their own sake; we do it all for ourselves, for our own welfare. The question "For whom?" is extremely important. When you ask this question, you discover that even when striving for external growth, you, the person, the seeker, are at the center of all your efforts. The final output of any process, including external growth, must be the welfare of the self. Therefore, one must continuously measure whether the external growth process has delivered this final output. This leads to the concept of inner growth, which is about addressing the innate tendencies we are born with, such as fear, greed, jealousy, and ignorance. These tendencies are exacerbated by social conditioning and do not allow us to be at peace. Inner growth is described as a process of reduction and simplification, not accumulation. It is about cleansing the inner self of these tendencies, much like reducing a tumor. The speaker explains that this is the essence of "Tapasya," which means going through heat or fire to burn away what is unworthy within. Contrary to popular belief, inner growth is not about avoiding stress but about taking on the right kind of stress. The person who truly wants inner growth will be prepared to go through the stress of this inner work. This is different from the superficial peace or stress relief offered by many popular techniques, which can be self-deceptive and enable a wrong way of life. A right life and a sustainable life go hand in hand; an unsustainable life is an internally wrong life. Therefore, the focus must be on internal action and self-awareness, which will naturally lead to a more sustainable external existence.