My brain (and I suppose everyone’s) appears to be wired:
(a) To seek pleasure
(b) To avoid pain
(c) To establish an identity
It’s not dumb. It’s mechanical. It continually sends me impulses in these three areas, because that’s what it’s programmed to do.
Growing up and getting well has meant, for me, learning to act right regardless of the (lack of) pleasure, regardless of the (inevitable) pain, and regardless of my anonymity or prominence or the furtherance of my 'personal ambitions' in the situation, even to the detriment of my most obvious and immediate interests. It was startling to discover I did not need to heed these prompts: they could rattle away trivially, like a neighbour's tinny radio.
What do I concentrate on?
Being at complete peace. Then asking:
- What needs to be done?
- What needs to be done by me?
- How best to do it?
... considering, not my desired outcomes, but the given, stated mission.