There is a Buddhist saying that our mind makes an excellent servant but a terrible master.

To relate to this saying, we need to acknowledge a simple fact.

I and my mind are not the same.

My mind is just a cocktail of thoughts and emotions. The thoughts and emotions are largely coloured by my ego, my beliefs, my experiences. So in a way my mind is just a reflection of my old beliefs, memories and experiences.

If I am looking to the future, can my mind, shackled by my past, ever be a good master? Certainly not!!

Our mind without the overhang of thoughts and emotions is quite powerful. It has clarity. A mind with clarity becomes a powerful tool that we can use, to take us forward in life.

Clarity is that drowning voice that we can hear inside our own mind, that is trying to say something, but we are not paying attention, too busy in our own thoughts.

Clarity is ever present but unfortunately, our thoughts and emotions dumb it down.

• You are drinking coffee and place the cup on the sofa next to you. There is a sliver of a voice that tells you, put the glass on the side table. You ignore the message and a few minutes later you spill the coffee on the sofa. That feeble voice that you ignored was clarity.

• Another example: You are oversleeping but you can hear a voice of conscience saying, get up, there is work to do. You shut it down and continue sleeping. That is the voice of clarity.

• Yet another example. I am losing my cool. There is a voice inside my head reminding me not to lose my cool. I ignore the voice and get worked up. I let my rampaging thoughts override the little voice of clarity.

Clarity comes with another name – Intuition. That feeling, hunch that we try very hard to ignore.

When I listen to the voice of clarity and intuition, I am in the driver’s seat. I relegate my mind to the role of my servant. It is no longer the boss. I am.

As the master, I dictate the actions I take.

• I whisper when I feel like yelling.

• I run when I feel like resting

• I keep quiet when I feel like talking

• I speak up when I feel like keeping quiet

• I step out when I feel like being in the shadows.

Author: Mr. Pramod Veturi, CEO – International Business