Effort is conscious action. It is however important to understand where and at what point must one start making an effort. For example, if I try making an effort to be a ‘good’ human being, I may begin my search with the question: What are the qualities of a good human being? How do we spot or identify a good human being? How does a ‘good’ human being act? How does he meet life’s challenges? And yet, despite gathering ‘data’ that answers these questions, all my efforts at being good somehow seem superficial. I feel the need for a truer transformation. I somehow feel certain that what is called for is a single change, that will by inherent virtue, change all that is a misconception; like how darkness disappears in the presence of light. The primary effort that one therefore needs to make is to come to know that which is flawed, that which is untrue. It’s in coming to know the untrue, that truth asserts itself.

Knowledge alone can support effort. The effort is right when it’s objective is the removal of ignorance. We must bear in mind what we’re seeking is not a prosthetic gain, but a restoration.