This blog post is based on insights from Harshvardhan Jain‘s YouTube video: “अक्रेशिया (Akrasia) – दुनिया की सबसे खतरनाक बीमारी” (Akrasia – The World’s Most Dangerous Disease).
Have you ever sat down at the end of the day, exhausted, wondering where all your time went? You knew you should have exercised. You knew you should have worked on that side project. You knew you should have made those important calls. But instead, you scrolled through your phone, watched one more episode, or simply… waited.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. You’re currently living in what motivational speaker Harshvardhan Jain calls the “95% zone”—a place where millions of people work their bodies to exhaustion but never truly work on their minds. The result? A life of mediocrity, debt, and quiet desperation.
But there is a way out. It starts with understanding a powerful Italian word that most people have never heard: Akrasia.
What is Akrasia? The Disease of “I Know I Should, But I Won’t”
Akrasia (pronounced uh-KRAY-zee-uh) is an ancient term that means the lack of self-control or acting against your better judgment. In simple words? It’s the disease of procrastination. It’s when you sit on a metaphorical nail (like the dog in Jain’s story) and complain about the pain—but refuse to get up because “it doesn’t hurt quite enough yet.”
As Jain explains, “This is the disease that has created the largest army of useless people on earth. If you don’t have control over yourself, you suffer from akrasia.”
Here’s the scary part:
Akrasia is contagious, and it spreads through a seemingly harmless phrase we use every day:
“I should do this.” (Karna chahiye)
The “Should Do” Virus vs. The “Just Do It” Antidote
Think about your conversations. How many times have you said:
- “I should wake up early.”
- “I should read more books.”
- “I should start that business.”
Now, how many times did you actually do it?
Jain reveals a brutal truth: The moment you say “should,” you’ve already lost. Why? Because “should” is a virus that kills action. It gives your brain a false sense of accomplishment. You feel like you’ve done something simply by acknowledging you ought to do it. Your subconscious mind registers the intent as completion, and the actual work never gets done.
The 5% don’t say “should.” They say “DO.” (Kar de.)
| The 95% Mindset (“Should Do”) | The 5% Mindset (“Just Do It”) |
| “I should exercise.” | “I exercise at 6 AM.” |
| “I should study more.” | “I am studying right now.” |
| “I should call clients.” | “I made three calls before lunch.” |
| Lives in future intention | Lives in present action |
| Seeks comfort | Embraces discomfort |
The difference is everything. While the 95% are busy planning to work, the 5% are busy working.
The 95% vs. 5% Divide: Working Below the Neck vs. Above It
Jain uses a powerful metaphor to explain society’s division. Imagine the human body divided at the neck:
The 95% work with everything below the neck. They use their hands, legs, and backs to earn money. They carry files, drive trucks, serve food, and perform manual labor. They work hard—very hard—but they work on other people’s dreams. At the end of the day, they give their earnings right back to their bodies: food, rent, and basic survival. They are essential, but they are replaceable.
The 5% work with everything above the neck. They use their minds, creativity, strategy, and vision. These are the doctors, engineers, writers, scientists, entrepreneurs, and speakers. They constantly renovate themselves. If they stop working on their minds, the market discards them immediately.
The critical difference? The 5% invest their earnings back into their minds—books, courses, coaching, and experiences that make them more valuable every single day.
Ask yourself honestly: If you stopped working today, would anyone notice in a week? If the answer is “probably not,” you’re currently in the 95%. But here’s the good news: You can jump the fence, but it requires fire.
The Goldsmith’s Fire: Why You Need 20 Taaps, Not 16
To become pure gold, raw ore must pass through 16 fires (taaps) to burn away impurities. At the 15th fire, the gold still contains redness, dirt, and flaws. Only at the 16th fire does it become 24-karat—pure and perfect.
But Jain pushes further:
“I will put you through 20 fires. Four extra, so you don’t just become 24-karat—you become something beyond.”
What does this mean for you?
It means self-mastery hurts. Upgrading from the 95% to the 5% requires passing through mental fires that most people run from. It means:
- Waking up when you don’t feel like it
- Studying when friends are partying
- Making calls when rejection is likely
- Working on your goals when Netflix is calling
If you’re ready for the heat, keep reading. If not, close this tab. The choice is that binary.
How Akrasia is Born: The Six Root Causes
You don’t catch akrasia by accident. You invite it in through specific behaviors. Here are the six “viruses” that give birth to procrastination:
1. You Don’t Know What You Want
If I ask you, “What do you truly want in life?” and you can’t answer in one sentence, you have akrasia. Millions of people study because “everyone else is studying.” They work jobs because “everyone needs a job.” They marry because “it’s time.” They are zombies with a pulse.
Example:
A survey asked Indian students why they were studying. The answer? “Because everyone else is.” That is akrasia in action.
2. You Don’t Know the Path
You want to go to Bangalore (your goal is clear), but you have no map (no path). When the route is foggy, the mind automatically designs images of failure. You start thinking, “I won’t make it,” and you never start.
3. You Pre-Design Failure
Before you even begin, your mind creates a horror movie of bankruptcy, embarrassment, and ruin. This mental programming kills action before it starts.
4. You’re Living Someone Else’s “Should”
Your father said you should be a doctor. Your boss said you should handle that project. Your friends said you should chill more. Borrowed desires create akrasia. If the “should” isn’t yours, your spirit rejects it, and you procrastinate.
5. You Crave Instant Gratification
Like a dog that only obeys when it sees the biscuit immediately, you only work when rewards are instant. Real success requires delayed gratification. The 5% work for years without applause. The 95% quit when the likes don’t come.
6. You Fear the Unwanted Outcome
Midway through your journey, you panic: “What if I end up with something I don’t want?” This fear paralyzes you. The 5% know that even “failure” is just data. The 95% let fear stop them cold.
The Six Vaccines: How to Kill Akrasia Forever
Just as there are vaccines for polio and hepatitis, there are vaccines for akrasia. Take these six, and the disease can never touch you—or your children.
Vaccine #1: Crystal Clear Goals
Don’t drive in fog. Know exactly what you want.
- Bad: “I want to be rich.”
- Good: “I will own a Mercedes Benz, three commercial properties, and generate passive income within five years.”
Write it down. Look at it daily. Clarity is power.
Vaccine #2: Accept the Struggle
Stop looking for comfort. The seed must crack to become a tree. The stone must be chiseled to become a statue. The milk must boil to become ghee. Your struggle is your polish.
Vaccine #3: Delete “Should” from Your Dictionary
From today, ban the phrase “I should.” Replace it with:
- “I will”
- “I am”
- “It’s done”
Action Step:
For the next 48 hours, every time you catch yourself saying “should,” do 10 pushups or donate $5 to charity. Break the habit violently.
Vaccine #4: Design Your Environment
The 95% around you will try to pull you back into mediocrity. If you hang out with people who say “should” all day, you’ll catch the virus.
Example:
Jain kept Dobermans and Bulldogs but knew their training formula was simple: Action = Treat. Don’t be a dog. Be the trainer of your own mind.
Vaccine #5: Work Where It Hurts
Your mind gravitates toward easy tasks. Go where the pain is. If public speaking scares you, join Toastmasters. If sales scare you, make five cold calls today. The 5% live in the discomfort zone.
Vaccine #6: The “Kar De” Attitude
Adopt the mindset of “Kar de” (Just do it). Not tomorrow. Not when you feel like it. Now.
“The day you stop saying ‘should’ and start saying ‘do,’ your bank balance, your fame, your cars, your houses, and your growth will begin.” —Harshvardhan Jain
The Photo Test: Will Your Child Want to Be Like You?
Here’s a sobering exercise Jain recommends:
Take 15 photos of the world’s greatest people—Gandhi, Einstein, Oprah, whoever inspires you. Add one more photo: yours.
Now show them to your child and ask: “Who do you want to be like when you grow up?”
If your child points to anyone but you, ask yourself why. Is it because you suffer from akrasia? Because you say “should” but never “do”?
Your children will not listen to your lectures. They will watch your actions. Cure your akrasia today, and your great-grandchildren will be vaccinated against it forever.
FAQ: Understanding Akrasia and Self-Mastery
Q1: Is akrasia just another word for laziness?
No. Laziness is a character trait; akrasia is a specific lack of self-control where you act against your own better judgment. You might be a hard worker (95% work very hard physically) but still suffer from akrasia because you lack control over your mind and decisions.
Q2: Can medication cure akrasia?
No. As Jain states, “There is no injection for akrasia.” It is cured only through sankalp ki shakti (the power of resolve) and changing your fundamental vocabulary from “should” to “do.”
Q3: How long does it take to move from the 95% to the 5%?
Jain did it in 11 years (achieved his goal by age 31 instead of 40). However, the mental shift can happen in an instant—the moment you decide to stop saying “should.” The physical results follow the mental decision.
Q4: What if I don’t know what my goal is yet?
Then your first goal is discovery. Spend one hour daily trying new things, reading biographies, and asking yourself: “What would I do if money wasn’t an issue?” Clarity comes from action, not thought.
Q5: Is it selfish to focus on joining the 5%?
No. Jain argues that working on yourself is the most selfless thing you can do. When you elevate yourself, you elevate your family for generations. A sick person cannot heal others; only a healthy doctor can. Become the 5% so you can pull others up with you.
Conclusion: Your 20 Fires Await
You now know the disease (akrasia). You know the cure (“kar de”). You know the cost (20 fires of discomfort).
The 95% live in the comfortable hell of “should have.” The 5% live in the exciting heaven of “done that.”
You cannot be both.
Your children are watching. Your future self is begging you to decide. The world is waiting for your contribution—but only if you break free from the army of the “shoulds.”
Will you take the oath today? Will you banish “karna chahiye” from your life and embrace “kar de”? Or will you remain on the couch, complaining about the nail you’re sitting on?
The choice is yours. But remember: Not deciding is also a decision.
What’s the first “should” you’re going to turn into a “do” today?
Credit Section:
This blog post is based on insights from Harshvardhan Jain‘s YouTube video: “अक्रेशिया (Akrasia) – दुनिया की सबसे खतरनाक बीमारी” (Akrasia – The World’s Most Dangerous Disease).
The original content has been translated, expanded, and repurposed for educational purposes.
