“Even in small matters, we can say, our intellect is not resolute. It will be resolute only if we fix our minds on one purpose and cling to it with discrimination, only if we work without looking for immediate results. At present, whether in politics or social reform we leap from one branch to another. I began with the illustration of a ball of earth and told you that, even if we concentrate on that, we can realise the atman.”
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Probable attribution
This saying is widely associated with Mahatma Gandhi, but the attribution is not supported by a reliable primary source.
Likely origin: The Bhagavad Gita According to Gandhi (Anasaktiyoga) - discourse using his 'ball of earth' illustration on a resolute intellect.
About this quote
A scattered mind touches many things and holds none. Steadiness comes from picking a single aim and staying with it, judgment intact, without demanding that each step pay off right away. Attention that isn't yanked from branch to branch is what finally makes the mind firm.
When to use it
- A student who stops switching majors every term and finishes one degree before chasing the next interest.
- A founder who resists overhauling the product at the first slow month and lets one idea mature.
- Someone learning an instrument who practices the same piece daily instead of collecting new apps and methods.