Learn to cheat the ego.

The following is an excerpt from a samvaad (dialogue) session with Acharya Prashant.

Question: I think I am very possessive about things and I am very rooted in this habit. I procrastinate real work by thinking that the real happens on its own. Right now I feel I stand too much trapped in habits, than I actually realise.

Please talk about breaking the habits and living a more aware life.

Acharya Prashant: Habits will remain. As long as you are alive, habits will remain. Do you know what is your most primitive habit? The breath, the heartbeat. These are your most primitive habits. They will remain.

Why did prakriti (nature) give habits to us? It gave habits so that certain things can happen without thought. It is for the sake of efficiency. Habits in prakriti are a time-saving measure.

There are so many things that you do out of habit. If you do not do them out of habit, you will have to think over them and that will waste your time. That is the logic of prakriti.

Prakriti says, “Because these things have to be any way done, why mull over them? Why keep pondering? Why involve decision-making where there can be only one decision? So prakriti has given you habits. She has given you habits so that you continue physically.

But do look at the rationale of habits again.

Where there can be only one good decision, why spend time in taking decision?

Let the decision be automatic.

This automacity is called ‘habit’.

Do you see how the argument is shaping up?

I repeat.

Where there can be only one right decision, why think of the alternatives? — that is ‘habit’.

Be habituated.

Habits are good if you know what that one Right Decision is.

Then habits are what you call as ‘thoughlessness’, or ‘transcending thought, or ‘nirvikalpataa’ (choicelessness).

Be fully habituated.

If you do not have habit, what do you have? Choice. Right? If you do not have habit, then how do you operate? Then you operate using your consciousness, by using the faculty of decision-making, by…