When we try to improve ourselves, we often need to fight against our wants, especially those that are unhealthy or disproportionate. Yet we seem to keep wanting some of our wants. Why is that? Because those wants are stored inside us as deep-rooted impressions. From there, they pop up as forceful propositions and can seem irresistible.
How, then, can we progress toward self-improvement? By changing our focus. Rather than focusing on reducing our wants, we can focus on reinforcing our values. While values can be an abstract term that refers to many things, here values refers essentially to the things we value — not just tangible objects but also subtler principles. Such values are also stored as impressions inside us. We can reinforce these indwelling values by consciously dwelling on them, that is, by learning more about them and striving to implement them in our life. When we thus value our values by investing our consciousness in them, their corresponding impressions will become stronger. And those impressions will persuasively prompt us to act virtuously — thus, they will function as our inner allies in fighting against our wants. Over time, they will become game-changers in our inner war; they will not just aid us, but even lead us to inner victory.
With such a shift of focus, we won’t feel weakened by the sense of deprivation that comes when we say no to our wants; instead, we will feel strengthened by the sense of fulfillment that comes when we say yes to our values, which automatically amounts to a no to those of our wants that go against our values. Pertinently, the Bhagavad-gita urges us to dwell on our higher values (02.59: param drishtva nivartate) and not pander to our wants (02.70: na kama-kami).
One-sentence summary:
Even if we can’t stop wanting our wants, we can still start valuing our values; instead of fighting against our wants, we can fight for our values — and let them fight against our wants.
Think it over:
- Why do we keep wanting our wants?
- How does shifting our focus to our values help?
- How can you value your values more?
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02.59: Though the embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness.
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Wants should be undervalued