It is very difficult to overstate the importance of having a clear idea in our mind what we want out of life. Many of us work away busily under the mistaken assumption, often as a result of social or cultural pressures, that we actually want whatever it is we are currently striving for. Although we typically discover such assumptions to be inaccurate, we nevertheless move onto the next goal without putting in the effort to determine whether it is in line with our spiritual objectives.
Once we have undertaken substantial introspection and are confident we want what we are striving for, the next important step is to determine what actions are actually going to have the effect that we want, i.e., bring us closer to our goal. If we are results oriented then we should always be on the lookout for activities that are essentially a waste of time because they have no impact on our ability to achieve our objective. For most of us this is probably not a one time activity but is rather more like a life time iterative process.
Looking at any given point in time, however, there is probably just one activity that we need to do. If we do that one activity, we will succeed and if we avoid it and procrastinate around it we will not. Often that one thing that we need to do is the one thing that we’re very good at avoiding. If our goal is spiritual progress, i.e., happiness without conditions then the one thing that we need to do is to bring the mind into the present moment.
If we realize that we are procrastinating, an antidote that we can apply is to direct our attention to the reality of this avoidance. The moment that we become aware of what is happening is the moment that we can take action to solve the problem. Therefore, making mindfulness training a regular part of our lives is the one thing that will make us happy. With this training we can both discover our true goals in life and make progress towards achieving them.