<p>Some advice from <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/fuang/itself.html" rel="nofollow">Ajaan Fuang</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>§ "If you're single-minded about whatever you think of doing, you're
  sure to succeed."</p>
  
  <p>§ "Persistence comes from conviction, discernment from being mindful."</p>
  
  <p>§ "Persistence in the practice is a matter of the mind, and not of
  your posture. In other words, whatever you do, keep your mindfulness
  constant and don't let it lapse. No matter what your activity, make
  sure the mind sticks with its meditation work."</p>
  
  <p>§ Another student disappeared for several months, and on her return
  told Ajaan Fuang, "The reason I didn't show up is that my boss sent me
  to night school for a semester, so I didn't have any time to meditate
  at all. But now that the course is over, I don't want to do anything
  but meditate — no work, no study, just let the mind be still."</p>
  
  <p>She thought he'd be pleased to hear how intent she still was on
  meditating, but he disappointed her. "So you don't want to work —
  that's a defilement, isn't it? Whoever said that people can't work and
  meditate at the same time?"</p>
  
  <p>§ Many were the times when people would tell Ajaan Fuang that — with
  all the work and responsibilities in their lives — they had no time to
  meditate. And many were the times he'd respond, "And you think you'll
  have time after you're dead?"</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-23T13:39:29.650Z
Ajaan Fuang is very inspiring.
Lowbrow
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-21T06:38:53.007Z
2015-09-21T06:38:53.007Z
ruben2020
<p>To make a  strong commitment,  you want to cultivate right effort by making a continuous effort, by hanging out with wise spiritual friends, by balancing energy with concentration and by not doing things that suck the energy out of you like reacting to your arising defilements, eating too much and getting lost in mental proliferation.</p>

<p>As Ajahn Chah says "Just do it".</p>

<p>Edit </p>

<p>One could reflect on death. This can really be motivating because it lets us know we are pressed for time not just on the surface but in the heart as well.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-20T21:00:39.463Z
good reply -  So you are saying if i get your drift that a commitment is not a good idea - right ?
breath
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-20T21:09:26.723Z
Yes it **is** a very good idea to make a strong commitment but you should know how to cultivate right effort first...or you can "Just do it"("it" being the strong commitment) like Ajahn Chah says but remember not to get to upset if it's hard to keep up.
Lowbrow
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-20T21:21:52.767Z
is there more about info about this subject - about what you talked about?
breath
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-21T20:13:56.637Z
Here are some video links that talk about right effort:      

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9ClCF_FYrt4

  --------
  https://youtu.be/3huNh4Vi8Jc
--------

  https://youtu.be/MZHWnzQQm3c--------
Lowbrow
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-22T04:04:44.953Z
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0qmUZOdLtM   

found this talk from ajahn chah when searching "just do it"  - good stuff
breath
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-20T20:30:54.203Z
2015-09-23T13:30:30.807Z
2015-09-23T13:30:30.807Z
Lowbrow
<p>Is it a good idea to make a strong commitment\determination  to be mindful or to meditate? </p>

<p>If we can't really control what we do in the future, is there a use to make a commitment? </p>

<p>And if the answer is yes   - how to make it ?</p>

<p>I would love to hear tips on how to make the commitment/determination better.</p>

<p>And I would also like to hear your opinion about celibacy in this context - including celibacy from tasty food and from funny videos, from music, from entertainment in general, etc.</p>

<personal-practice>
Is 'making a strong commitment' a good idea?
# Is 'making a strong commitment' a good idea?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-09-20)

Is it a good idea to make a strong commitment\determination to be mindful or to meditate?

If we can't really control what we do in the future, is there a use to make a commitment?

And if the answer is yes - how to make it ?

I would love to hear tips on how to make the commitment/determination better.

And I would also like to hear your opinion about celibacy in this context - including celibacy from tasty food and from funny videos, from music, from entertainment in general, etc.

**Tags:** personal-practice


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-09-20. Score: 4

To make a strong commitment, you want to cultivate right effort by making a continuous effort, by hanging out with wise spiritual friends, by balancing energy with concentration and by not doing things that suck the energy out of you like reacting to your arising defilements, eating too much and getting lost in mental proliferation.

As Ajahn Chah says "Just do it".

Edit

One could reflect on death. This can really be motivating because it lets us know we are pressed for time not just on the surface but in the heart as well.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: good reply -  So you are saying if i get your drift that a commitment is not a good idea - right ?  
> **username_2**: Yes it **is** a very good idea to make a strong commitment but you should know how to cultivate right effort first...or you can "Just do it"("it" being the strong commitment) like Ajahn Chah says but remember not to get to upset if it's hard to keep up.  
> **username_0**: is there more about info about this subject - about what you talked about?  
> **username_2**: Here are some video links that talk about right effort:        http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9ClCF_FYrt4    --------   https://youtu.be/3huNh4Vi8Jc --------    https://youtu.be/MZHWnzQQm3c--------  
> **username_0**: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0qmUZOdLtM     found this talk from ajahn chah when searching "just do it"  - good stuff  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-09-21. Score: 2

Some advice from [Ajaan Fuang](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/fuang/itself.html):

> § "If you're single-minded about whatever you think of doing, you're
> sure to succeed."
>
> § "Persistence comes from conviction, discernment from being mindful."
>
> § "Persistence in the practice is a matter of the mind, and not of
> your posture. In other words, whatever you do, keep your mindfulness
> constant and don't let it lapse. No matter what your activity, make
> sure the mind sticks with its meditation work."
>
> § Another student disappeared for several months, and on her return
> told Ajaan Fuang, "The reason I didn't show up is that my boss sent me
> to night school for a semester, so I didn't have any time to meditate
> at all. But now that the course is over, I don't want to do anything
> but meditate — no work, no study, just let the mind be still."
>
> She thought he'd be pleased to hear how intent she still was on
> meditating, but he disappointed her. "So you don't want to work —
> that's a defilement, isn't it? Whoever said that people can't work and
> meditate at the same time?"
>
> § Many were the times when people would tell Ajaan Fuang that — with
> all the work and responsibilities in their lives — they had no time to
> meditate. And many were the times he'd respond, "And you think you'll
> have time after you're dead?"

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Ajaan Fuang is very inspiring.  

---

