Determination

"Determination must arise out of a sense of a greater purpose in life, a purpose that is stronger, more persistent and more life generating than all of the other factors in your life that would seek to weaken you and to undermine this incentive."

"Competition can engender creativity, responsibility, resourcefulness and self-determination."

"Work is a combination of effort, direction and determination.... When you think of work, think of what you must do to maintain financial stability, to maintain your primary relationships which require time and effort, to maintain adequate health so that your body can serve you and to further your spiritual growth. All of these require work.They require effort, direction and determination.This does not leave a lot of time for confusion or ambivalence or wandering around aimlessly."

Persistence on The Way of Knowledge

"The Way of Knowledge is not a beach. It is not a refuge. It is work. It is choosing a direction to which you apply yourself with determination. In this, you become aware of what you need to work on in your life, and you begin to work on these things."

"Inspiration is something that you must generate within yourself. You must also seek it in your environment and in your relationships. To seek it in the environment, you must direct yourself to those individuals, to those events, even to those historical accounts, that reinforce your conviction and commitment and remind you that greater things are possible given true determination, true companionship and a worthy goal."

"You are going to climb a great mountain.This requires equipment and preparation. This requires planning and determination."

"Concentration is something that everyone who approaches Knowledge must develop because it takes strength of mind and conviction, focus and determination to pass through the thresholds on the way to Knowledge."

"To successfully follow Steps to Knowledge, follow it as it is given and learn how to work with it as you go along.The preparation does not demand perfection or absolute success. It requires perseverance and determination."

"Some things will require great determination, but only for a short time. Other things will require great determination on an ongoing basis."

"As your sense of commitment and determination is set free from your personal ambitions and need for self-importance, then your commitment and determination will have a strength that will abide with you and that you can rely upon as a foundation for living and progressing in life. All of this is possible for you if you will persevere.You will reach your destination if you keep going. If you allow the journey to be what it is instead of trying to determine what it must be, then you will not lose your way in life."

Other excerpts

"The problems within your world are now too great to solve in easy or convenient ways. They require greater concentration, greater activity and more determination than most people are capable of giving or willing to give at this time."

"You will need to exercise concentration and determination. Stronger companions will make you stronger. Weaker companions will make you weaker. The choice is yours. Choose well."

"A strong mind will always influence a weaker mind. A strong mind can to a certain degree control a weaker mind. This happens even if the stronger person is not trying to cast an influence or persuade anyone to do anything. The fact that his or her mind is more concentrated and less conflicted, with greater intention and self-determination, will have an impact upon other minds that are less focused and less concentrated."

"Do not think that if the journey is meant for you, it will be easy and you will not have times of great conflict. Do not think that if this is meant for you, you will be able to pass through the thresholds without great effort and determination."

"Do not think that you are always in the right place doing the right thing. If that were the case, your world would be very different from what it is today.You can miss great opportunities.They will not come again. Do not pacify yourself and think,“Well, I didn’t get it this time around. I’ll get it the next time around.”There may not be another time around. Don’t be casual about things that will determine your life. And do not think that Knowledge is guiding you yet. Do not think that Knowledge is determining everything you do, for you are not a master and you are not masterful. Do not take for granted things that require serious decisions and selfdetermination. Do not give yourself that escape or you will disable yourself from becoming potent and effective in life, and you will not realize your responsibilities."

"To go from a fixed human viewpoint to a Greater Community perspective represents a tremendous expansion. It requires more effort,more consistency and more determination than meeting even the normal range of challenges. But people want great things.They want magnificent relationships, they want totally satisfying careers, they want Spiritual Wisdom and they want great inner certainty.We say it is very good to want those things, but what are you willing to give for them? You cannot bargain here.You don’t get the sale price.You don’t get Wisdom at one-half off.You don’t buy one and get one free.You have to give what is needed to give, however much that is. Knowledge and Wisdom do not come cheap.Though there is no price tag, they require a great and consistent self-application."

"The greatest price of personal goals and acquisitions is that they disengage you from Knowledge within yourself. Here your preoccupations override your true determination, your true inclinations and your inner voice, which is speaking to you throughout the day to help guide and protect you and to counsel you in matters great and small."

See also

Dedication