If we wish to accomplish great things in our lives, one ingredient in the recipe of success is commitment. If we wish to have a successful relationship we need to be committed to doing those little special things that say "you are special to me and I value you". If we wish to have a successful career we need commitment to face the battles as they arise with a sense of grace and dignity. If we wish to be successful in being humane beings we need commitment to refine our way of thinking so that our way of life is in harmony with every other's way of life and our environment.

Sometimes it seems like the human race is born with only a modicum of innate common sense. As people grow from children into adults they either indulge into various stupidities that dull their intelligence, or stay complacent at a mediocre level, or they strive to achieve greatness. This greatness is just a matter of rising above the mob consciousness.

The lazy and foolish will not prize virtue or intelligence, but those who see the ills of the world will desire to be free from the malady of ignorance. It is the ignorant - the mob consciousness - that has lead to the decay of modern civilization.

Once you have risen out of the mob consciousness a new world awaits. It is a world of opportunity, abundance, and beauty. If you are content in your own discontentment - and believe me most people are indeed comfortable with their illnesses and delusions - then you will be trapped with the rest of the mob. But if you are fed up with being part of the status quo, then there is potential for great change.

Discontentment, while on the surface seems negative, can actually be transformed into a great positive if, and only if, it is used as a catalyst to propel you towards healthy changes. This is called Divine Discontentment. If one wallows in discontentment then one shall remain in discontentment. However, if the desire to escape misery is strong enough the mind will begin seeking new ways of thinking and being to overcome the misery, as a means for self-preservation.

If this divine discontentment is only a temporary or occasional desire, it won't be enough. It needs to be a constant chipping away at the conditions that lead to misery - and this constancy is called commitment. The conditions that lead to misery can include working at an fulfilling job, not having enough money, not having a good relationship, not having food and shelter, and so on.

The fundamental and underlying cause of misery is improper thinking. I often say, "as you think, so shall you be". With regards to one's employment, improper thinking tells you "I may not find a better job." With regards to one's relationship, improper thinking tells you "if only my partner would change." Improper thinking tells you "I'm not worthy; I'm not good enough; I'm not attractive enough; I'm not smart enough." All these phrases repeat in one's mind and create one's reality. But it is all fiction.

You may fight against me saying it is all fiction because you want to cling to your beliefs, as they give you reason to not try, and an excuse to fail. But if you open up to a new way of thinking you'll see that it is indeed all in your mind. Your mind wants to compare and it will rationalize that someone else is more intelligent or more attractive or more this or more that ad nauseum. However, once you simply drop the idea of comparing you no longer are short or tall, thin or fat, smart or dumb, rich or poor. Suddenly you just are. Please understand the significance of this.

Comparisons always bring disappointment for they are of the level of the ego. If the ego feels superior it feels triumphant. If the ego feels inferior it feels depressed. Unfortunately triumphs don't last. And this is why there is so mush depression in society as we have been raised to compare ourselves with others. Thus the need to dress in the latest fashion and look the way society wants us to look, think the way society wants us to think, and be well-behave sheeple. There is such a need to belong, to be "one of the pack," that out of fear of being compared negatively with criticisms by others we sacrifice who we really are.

Freedom from the delusion of comparisons and from the negative mind are indeed momentous accomplishments. Can you imagine living joyfully being you as you really are and not having to live up to other's expectations of who they think you should be? However, do not fall into the other delusions that says "yeah, I'm a jerk so I'll just be a jerk whenever I want!" because even you as a jerk is only a conditioned personality. These conditioned personalities must also be dropped!

One of the best tools I've been blessed with is the science of yoga. My commitment to this path has lead me to many revelations, many opportunities, and much inner peace. One class is not a fix-all. However, commitment to to attending as often as you can will reap results. This is a commitment to your self. Find your Divine Discontentment, set your goal, and be committed to your own liberation, success and inner peace.