Control

We can only control four things in life,

Our desires

Our actions

Our words

Our intentions

I will clarify these below.

We can control our desires, but we cannot say that we always choose to do so. This is because the influence of our desires is sometimes too strong to resist. People who are ruled by their desires become a victim of this influence. They eventually lose themselves to them with no longer being able to control them.

We can control the actions we take if we have the willingness to do so. It is not hard for anyone who has that willing mind because it is an easy task that needs only a few attempts to perfect. However, the result of mastering this task makes it easier for us to achieve our goals without having any problem in taking whatever thoughtful actions are required to achieve them.

We can control the words we speak, but sometimes people are not aware of their words, they only say things without considering the consequences. Later when they become aware of what they have said, they feel regret for saying it. But when we know the consequences of our words and take caution in speaking to them, we can minimize problems they create. Speak your words with intention.

We can control our intentions, controlling our intentions is easy, but many people fail to do so. It is because they just act without having any specific purpose in mind. One who wants to achieve something, therefore, should always keep his/her intentions clear and set.

Desires determine your actions, actions determine your words, words determine your intentions, and intentions determine all your desires.

If you want to do something, that is a desire.

If you say it, but do not mean it, that's just words.

If you think you are going to do something and then decide against it later, that is the intention.

If you intend to not do it, but then do it, that is the action.

The last point is the most important because if you intend to not do something and try your hardest not to, and you still find yourself doing it, then you need to make stronger intentions until there is no doubt about what your desires are and what they will lead you to do, then you will find that everything else falls into place as an afterthought or consequence of those decisions.

The only way to have total control is to never have any desires, never want anything, never intending anything, never saying anything, and never doing anything. Not exactly a realistic goal, and since it is impossible to not have any desires . . . all you can do is work towards having better desires.

The question is, which do you want more? To be in control or to have better desires?

That is what we call a trade-off.

You know the answer to this question already . . . it is an obvious decision; we all want better desires.

I tell you this because it is possible to have any desire and make it into a good one, with the right timing, the right words said at the perfect moment, and saying it with pure intentions, a desire can be made into a good one.