Where is Nishtha?

Determination - when you see it in other devotees, and you serve those devotees, and they bless you, then you get it.

It is so important to stop associating with the lower modes. I need to be clean when cooking, be attentive while chanting, be efficient in planning my days, and never sleep too much.

If I am determined to sleep early, rise early, chant all my rounds early and then extra rounds every evening, then I can consider myself making progress.

If I don't have a burning desire to serve, then I won't get out of my comfort zone.

I must endeavor, I must give up sense gratification for serving my mind and senses. I must take up serving and pleasing Krishna and Gurudeva and vaishnavas as my one and only mission. The blessings of vaishnavas are freely available - but I must be eager to take them. I must be eager to serve selflessly. I must give up all considerations of profit and honor. I must listen, and then speak what I hear to others. I must.

My obstacles are: laziness, false ego, propensity for sense enjoyment, and lack of focus and determination.