The concept of steadfastness means to not be changeable, fickle or wavering. It is an important quality to possess to be successful in life, both in our outer life in the world and in our inner, spiritual pursuits. Unfortunately, many people lack this quality in one or more aspects of their life. They are consistently creating a plan, working at it for a short while and then abandoning it and creating a new plan. This is a good way to not achieve much of real merit in life.
Let's explore two common examples. First example: Padmini suffers from chronic back pain. She goes to a physical therapist, who gives her some exercises to do. She does them for one month and then stops. A few months later she goes to an ayurvedic doctor, who suggests some herbs. She manages to take these for two months before stopping. Six months later she goes to another physician, who suggests a still different remedy. You get the idea. Of course, Padmini still has the back pain. No progress has been made due to lack of steadfastness.
Second example: Such lack of persistence happens in the study of Hinduism as well. Rajan visits one swami, who suggests he chant a mantra. He does this for a few months and stops. He visits another swami a year later, who suggests meditating on the inner light. He does this for a while and again falls away from his intended effort. A few years later, he listens to a lecture on the importance of temple worship. He manages to attend the temple regularly for six months before giving up the practice. Pursuing the study of Hinduism in this fickle way, of course, produces no tangible progress in Rajan's spiritual life. I have observed that most people approach life in this way, going from one thing to the next, leaving one plan to develop another, never really finishing most of what they begin. This is not a recipe for a productive life of accomplishment and the rewards that attend achievements above the ordinary.
The instinctive quality that we are harnessing when we succeed in being steadfast is the tendency to not stick with what we start. My Gurudeva, Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, stressed the importance of steadfastness in spiritual matters: "The spiritual path is a long, enduring process. It does not reach fruition in a year or two years. The spiritual path brings lots of ups and downs, and the greatest challenges will come to the greatest souls. With this in mind, it becomes clear that steadiness and perseverance are absolutely essential on the spiritual path."
The ancient ethical scripture Tirukural devotes one chapter to this topic. In chapter sixty-two, titled "Perseverance," Saint Tiruvalluvar begins by describing one of the most common reasons for not finishing a task: giving in to the feeling that the work is too difficult. His advice is that this human weakness can be overcome simply by developing a strong habit of finishing what we start.
What are the consequences of not persevering? Valluvar gives us three: The world will abandon those who abandon their work unfinished. Shame and disgrace belong to those devoid of tenacity. They will end up in poverty, and all their noble philanthropic plans will fail.
What are the benefits of steadfastness? The poet states that he who perseveres will be like a pillar, supporting his family and sweeping away their every sad sorrow. The dignity of his diligent effort will also bring prosperity and lead to the pride that follows in the wake of profuse giving.
The sagely poet concludes by sharing insights on the relationship between destiny and perseverance. While laziness leads to misfortune, industriousness leads to good fortune. Even those determined efforts that do not succeed will eventually bring benefits into our life. In his last verse, Tiruvalluvar indicates that the qualities of tireless exertion and undaunted tenacity will eventually overcome negative karmas when he says that one who possesses these traits "will live to behold the backside of retreating Fate."
Let's look now at some of the common reasons for nonperseverance. One common reason is that the original decision was based on an emotional whim rather than a well-thought-through plan. Here's an example. Kumaran has lunch with a colleague at work who shares how he purchased a second house, is renting it out and is earning excellent extra income, enough to take his family on pilgrimage to India last month.
Kumaran thinks this idea is great and can probably help him take his family on pilgrimage to India as well. He immediately purchases a second house and rents it out. After a year, he realizes the price he paid was too high and he is earning less than the expenses of owning the house. The enterprise is actually lowering his savings for the pilgrimage rather than increasing it. He is forced to sell the house and incur a loss.
What went wrong? Kumaran's initial decision was flawed, as it was based on a passing emotion rather than a well-conceived plan. This problem can be avoided by taking time to make those major decisions, carefully gathering all the facts, talking in person to others who are successful at the enterprise, sharing all this information with family and friends, praying to Lord Ganesha for guidance, putting all this information in a detailed plan and, if you have a guru, asking for his or her blessings on the plan before you proceed.
Gurudeva wrote a precept that is quite relevant: "Siva's devotees approach each enterprise with deliberate thoughtfulness, and act only after careful consideration. They succeed in every undertaking by having a clear purpose, a wise plan, persistence and push."
The ideas of deliberate thoughtfulness and careful consideration are just what we have been looking at. What this precept adds is that what we need first of all is a clear purpose. What is our goal in pursuing this endeavor? Why are we thinking about doing this?
A second common reason for nonperseverance is embarking on an endeavor without a clear purpose. For example, Gita is inspired when her best friend takes up the traditional Indian dance form of bharata natyam, so she starts as well. After five months, she concludes that the art of dance is too much work and gives it up. Gita's reason for pursuing it - the fact that her best friend took it up - was not solid enough. To stick to an undertaking, it needs to be meaningful to one's life, not just to someone else's.
A third reason for nonperseverance is fickleness or changeableness. An essential part of steadfastness is overcoming this fault. Changeableness means indecision, not being decisive. How can we discriminate between this and the strength of a person who changes his or her mind in wisdom because of changes of circumstance? A person who is changeable is fickle and unsure of himself, changing without purpose or reason. Dhriti, steadfastness, describes the mind that is willing to change for mature reasons based on new information but holds steady to its determinations through thick and thin in the absence of such good reasons. Its decisions are based on wise discrimination. Having made a solid decision in the first place, pursue it with determination, and only reconsider your original intent in light of new information.
A fourth cause is lack of willpower. To be steadfast, you have to use your willpower. Willpower is developed easily in a person who has an adequate memory and good reasoning faculties. Gurudeva tells us, "Siva's devotees, by remaining steadfast on the path, upholding the yamas and niyamas [Hinduism's code of conduct] and relying on their indomitable will, move the forces of the world, and are not moved or affected by them." What does Gurudeva mean by an indomitable will?
Willpower is channeling the rarefied energies of the body, of awareness itself, into attention and concentration upon everything that we do through the day. How can this be cultivated? Gurudeva gives us the key in Merging with Siva. Willpower, he says, can be cultivated by finishing and doing well every task that we undertake. In fact, done a little better than our expectations. First, finish each task. Second, do it well. Nothing is done with half our mind thinking about something else. Nothing is dropped in the middle. Developing these two important habits produces an indomitable willpower.
Another reason for lacking steadfastness is that, even though we have a purpose and a clear goal, the goal is not realistic. We have set our sights too high. Therefore, we do not achieve our undertaking in a reasonable period of time and give up. Here's an example. A sincere seeker sets the goal of realizing the Self, God as transcendent reality, in three years - first year practicing service, second year focusing on devotion, third year mastering yoga, and at the end of the third year he will become a jnani by attaining Self Realization. This, of course, is not realistic. Such an approach can cause the seeker to give up the spiritual path altogether. The point is: be sure to be realistic in the goals you set. Ask others knowledgeable in that field if your goal is realistic before you firmly commit to it.
Encountering obstacles is still another reason people do not persevere. There is the faulty logic that "If my endeavor encounters an obstacle, then Lord Ganesha must be telling me that my pursuit is not the right course of action. I should stop trying and rethink the entire project." Gurudeva's teaching is that the more ambitious a project is, the more obstacles will be encountered. Therefore, if your goal is a significant one, before you even start, anticipate encountering significant obstacles. And when challenges and barriers do come, you will be ready for them and not become discouraged. This will make your mind steady and steel you against inconsistent and erratic striving toward your goals. You will find new firm-mindedness as you remember Gurudeva's mahavakya: "Consistency is the key to the conquest of karma."
In conclusion, foster steadfastness, overcoming nonperseverance, fear, indecision and changeableness. Achieve your goals with a prayer, purpose, plan, persistence and push. Be firm in your decisions. Avoid sloth and procrastination. Develop willpower, courage and industriousness. Overcome obstacles. Never carp or complain. Do not let opposition or fear of failure result in changing strategies.
