How to remain committed to one’s decisions || BITS Pilani (2022)

Questioner (Q): I want to talk about being committed to our decisions. Let’s say, for example, I decide that I will stop eating junk food from today, or rather minimize my consumption of junk food. But what happens is that I stick to it for a month or forty-five days, and then I go back to my earlier pattern of eating whatever I want. And this happens with my other decisions also. For example, even if I decide to attend all the lectures from today onwards, after a week or two weeks I will start skipping lectures. So, how can I become more conscious or more aware and take ownership of my decisions?

Acharya Prashant (AP): Why do you want to attend lectures?

Q: So that I will get the required information to do well in my classes. So that I will learn enough to do well in my exams.

AP: Make up your mind.

Q: I want to attend classes because that is what everyone says.

AP: “Because that is what everyone says.” That is the way you are born, you know. The entire population of this Earth—that is the way we are born. Two people say, “That is what everyone says.” Why do you want to attend lectures? Is there an attendance requirement?

Q: No.

AP: Zero?

Q: Yeah.

AP: What is the usual attendance in classrooms?