Preparing for a new life: if the path is difficult, does it mean the choice was wrong?
QUESTION:
I am preparing to start a new chapter in my life: moving, attending university, and beginning a new job. It is an incredibly difficult process, yet I feel a profound desire to pursue it. How can I stop acting solely out of a sense of obligation when the learning and problem-solving involved feel so draining? It is not that I have lost interest in working or studying; rather, the sheer effort required is taking a heavy toll. If things are this hard, does it mean I have made the wrong choice?
ANSWER FROM LEE:
There are several factors at play here, ranging from the fear of abandoning familiar comforts to the false premise that every action must be based on a calculation of the final outcome.
First, consider the innate resistance of a caterpillar becoming a butterfly, or a chick hesitant to break free from its shell. This transition is not about forcing yourself through a sense of duty, but rather acknowledging that your previous state of comfort has simply run its course. In this space, your foundation becomes a genuine curiosity for the adventures that life has to offer.
Second, there is the common urge to know every future move with absolute certainty. This is precisely where the mind falters, as such long-range forecasting is fundamentally beyond its purpose. Your anchor should instead be a focus on the immediate steps ahead, ensuring they provide both satisfaction and a clear result. From there, you can proceed one step at a time, moving unhurriedly without burdening your mind with complex projections. Tuning into the frequency of the 'Now' provides the clarity to see what can be done with ease—and then you actually do it.
Taken together, these perspectives build the skill of solving complex problems through simple, manageable means.
In this context, a 'wrong choice' is actually the attempt to burden the mind with tasks it was never designed to handle. A 'right choice' is the mental alignment achieved when you act on the principle that reality is formed in the present and invariably follows your own perception—whether you define the experience as 'easy and pleasant' or 'difficult and taxing.' Your reality will ultimately reflect the value you assign to it. To maintain an accurate perspective, however, it is best to avoid self-deception and instead take short, authentic steps fueled by inspiration.
Meanwhile, think of your 'cherished dream' as a fixed point on a map toward which you are constantly navigating; you don't need to reach it in a single leap, but you must keep the momentum steady. This continuity is sustained through action in the present moment, whereas the process is interrupted the moment you overload the mind with excessive calculations for the future.
