In 2019, I learned about a term called ‘Adhitthana’ during a 10-day retreat of silence, practicing Vipassana.

(Pali: Adhitthana, Sanskrit: धृति or Dhriti) Meaning: Determination, Iron will.

On a full moon, near the Neranjara river, Siddharth Gautam decided that he would not leave his seat and meditation posture, not even if his bones were scattered, until he reached his final goal of total purification of the mind. Negative powers tried to distract him and stop him from reaching his final goals.

After 6 months, he attained Enlightenment and became the Buddha.

The question is, how did Gautama develop this Iron Will?

The answer lies in his 5 years’ journey.

By controlling the animal instincts of appetites for food, sex, and comfort through engaging in various yogic disciplines and meditations. Eventually, near death from his fasting, he accepted a bowl of rice dish from a young girl.

And The small steps with Determination, like fasting, leaving comfort, engaging in various yogic disciplines, etc., built That ‘Iron Will’ and ‘Conviction.’

And that Iron Will helped him to reach Enlightenment.

In 2019, when I reached the 10-day retreat and we reached the day when Determination training started, where you have to make a self-declaration that you’re not going to leave your seat and meditation posture, eyes closed, for 1 hour. But at that time, the maximum I could sit for was 45 minutes; many times I left my seat and went outside. I was worst meditator of that session.

And in 2024, when I reached there, I made the self-declaration by myself that I am going to follow all rules and even complete that 1-hour Determination. And for the first time, I sat for 1 hour. I found real peace of mind, and then all the days were easy. But after 10 days, when I started talking after breaking the silence, people told me that I was motivating them during those days. One old & curious meditator even asked me how I was doing this. At that time, I gave them some stupid answers, but I really didn’t know why that happened.

After self-reflection, I realized that in these 5 years, small self-declarations, like only consuming plants & dairy (sometimes I also abstained from dairy), abstaining from substances, sleeping on the floor, etc., built Something that I wasn’t even aware of.

And Another Q is, Is this effect your work ??

The Ans, Hidden in iCEO, Thirtieth Birthday..

where he mention the Hindu proverb 

“For the first thirty years of your life, you make your habits,” “For the last thirty years of your life, your habits make you.” – Steve jobs 

And these habits built an IronWill, that Ironwill not just Make him , changed the world.

Note: I’m not suggesting that I’ve cultivated an iron will like Buddha’s or i am saint or i don’t have any bad habit , but making small small self-declarations, build Iron will , conviction and increase confidence.

(Chat GPT Used for Grammer correction)