1. Hone your purpose.a. Carefully examine the purpose of your practice before you begin it each day. The word “purpose” derives from Latin propositus “to put or set forth” & Old French poser, “to place.” Your purpose moves you and gives you a sense of direction. When your purpose is clear and strong you will naturally overcome obstacles along the path. When your purpose is weak, you will be easily distracted and discouraged.b. Write down your purpose and keep it visible so that you can read it regularly.2. Commit.a. Make up your mind — after intelligent reasoning — that you will perform your practice without fail and will do whatever it takes to complete it. As soon as you make this firm commitment, Krsna and all His personified potencies will come to assist you in ways you never imagined. But, first you must commit. The word commit derives from Latin committer, “join.”b. Take full responsibility for your progress and think, “Nothing will change until I do.” “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.”3. Practice.a. Get regulated. Through regular practice you will develop unconscious competence in any skill. Practice means to regularly perform an exercise or skill in order to improve or maintain your proficiency.b. Make incremental improvements. Tiny improvements give you momentum, a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction, and add up over time to noticeable gains.c. Practice correctly. Mere practice doesn’t make perfect. Rather, correct practice makes perfect.4. Be disciplined.a. Remember the golden rewards of discipline. The word, discipline derives from the Latin, discipulus, “learner.” As a human being, you have the power to learn new skills and to take conscious control over your lifestyle.b. Accept failure as the pillar of success. Most of our improvements come when we consciously and methodically correct our mistakes. Mistakes are valuable. Notice them dispassionately, but correct them so that you can learn and grow.5. Associate with advanced devotees.a. Serve and hear from advanced devotees. Ultimately, all learning and advancement comes from association with advanced people. We do not advance by book knowledge or by our own efforts alone. People — living beings — have potencies. When you serve and associate with advanced people, out of mercy, they generously share their abundant gifts with youb. Ask advanced people for their best advice. Become a master asker. “Ask and ye shall receive.c. Observe what advanced devotees do and follow their footsteps.6. Depend on your guru(s) and Krsna.a. Remember that we are helpless and dependent.b. Pray deeply and repeatedly, asking your guru(s) and Krsna for their mercy and guidance.
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