Acharya Prashant explains that what individuals commonly refer to as their personal interest or hobby is often just a deeper, more ingrained form of external influence. He observes that people tend to resist superficial influences, such as parental pressure, while blindly embracing deeper influences that they mistake for their own individuality. He argues that when an influence is superficial, it is relatively harmless, but when it penetrates the mind deeply, it becomes a form of enslavement that the person identifies as their own passion or self-expression. He warns that pursuing such interests will only lead to further frustration and dismay because they are not truly one's own. The speaker suggests that the current dilemma between following parental wishes or one's own interests is a choice between two different kinds of slavery. He advises against making a choice from a state of mental confusion or 'intoxication' by external conditioning. Instead of choosing between these two paths, he encourages letting the attention go inwards to refine and cleanse the mind. Acharya Prashant asserts that when the mind is cleansed, a new, unpredictable, and right path will automatically emerge. He emphasizes that one must first become 'sober' and free from mental influences before any meaningful decision can be made.
