The real goal dissolves you along the journey to the goal

Take up one idea.

Make that one idea your life — think of it, dream of it, live on that idea.

Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone.

This is the way to success, and this is the way great spiritual giants are produced.

~ Swami Vivekananda

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

Acharya Prashant: Wonderful!

It’s just that not every idea will be able to fulfill these conditions.

The idea must have some worth, the idea must have some weight, the idea must have some gravity. Otherwise, you will not be able to make the idea your life. Otherwise, you will not be able to live, eat, breathe, sleep by that idea.

Mark the words, “Take up one idea.” That one idea has to be about — ‘The One’. It has to be an idea, that is arising from ‘The One’.

Every other idea would fail these conditions. Have you not had ideas aplenty, already? Have those ideas really served you well? Have those ideas survived? Have you ever been deficient in ideas?

In fact, you have far too many ideas for your comfort. So, you must be very clear about the quality of the idea that Vivekananda is referring to. Don’t be deceived. Vivekanand is not saying, “Take up some random idea, and give your life to it.” Not that it is bad; it is impossible. Because, you will not be able to give your life to any random idea.

Sooner than later that idea will wither down. Sooner than later, you will become bored of that idea. Sooner than later, some other idea will come to substitute that idea. As happens with us.

You have an idea to go to Nainital. Next day you have an idea to go to Ooty. What happened to Nainital? Nainital had no immensity. That idea was not arising from your heart, that was just a passing wave. It went away. It disappeared. Now, Ooty has come…