Determination grows out of adversity. To accomplish an easy or pleasant task does not require determination, it is the difficult or unpleasant task that most definitely does.
Dreams don’t come true on their own. Determination is required to achieve the things we set out to accomplish and to keep things going in the face of discouragement.
The essential purpose of Buddhism is to make people happy. True happiness is the result of consistent effort and constant growth as a human being.
Remind yourself every day, why you are pursuing your goal. Self doubt and negative thoughts are the making of your fundamental darkness. Confront your inner demons and tell them that you are going to overcome them. Take heart and strength from your Practice, chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo will raise your life-energy and help you focus on the task in hand. Remember, nobody ever felt satisfaction from giving up on their dreams.
And keep this in mind when times get tough …
When your determination grows, everything else begins to move in the direction you desire. The moment you resolve to be victorious, every nerve and fibre in your being immediately orient themselves toward your success.
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.
In my current state of limbo, I’m trying hard to keep going forward whilst staying exactly where I am, set myself goals without creating expectations, making plans for whatever eventuality may befall me, and chant for all of the above at once, rather bewildering.
When you devote yourself to achieving your goals, you will not be bothered by shallow criticism. 
When life gets a little messy, I tend to go for familiar things from life, things that help me feel more comfortable. While working from home today, I took the opportunity to listen to some classic, and very familiar music, the Genesis album, And Then There Were Three, released in 1978.
It may seem to be a strange thing to say, but our happiness, or otherwise, is actually a choice we make for ourselves. It’s basically tied to the way we view the challenges that life throws at us. When something happens, something we would rather hadn’t happened, we have a choice to make. Do we throw our hands in the air and go into a selfish mood of depression, or do we face the issue head on?
It’s amazing how we and the rest of the Universe are so closely connected. Sitting at home, still working, but being allowed to ‘take stock’ of my current predicament, I’m running dozens of ‘what if’ scenarios through my head.
Well, what a strange sort of day. Last week, I received a letter warning that my role within the company was in danger of being made redundant, not the best news. Along with the legalese and waffle about changes to make the company more efficient, there was an invitation to meet and discuss the situation, when I would be able to put my point of view and highlight any details the company might have missed about my role.
Another trip to Dr Paine tonight involved more soul searching than medical examination. The long battle against the dreaded cough seems to have been won, I haven’t had a coughing fit in more than a week now, but the wheezing that appeared, after the hack had gone, has come back with a vengeance in the last few days.
In his writings, regarding Buddhist practice, Nichiren repeatedly emphasized the importance of the heart. 
Despite having the best antibiotics money can buy, and upping the chanting to levels barely covered by the latest health and safety directives, this flippin’ cough is hanging on in a most tenacious manner.
The Search For Enlightenment 
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