Geshe Michael Roach — a well-known Buddhist teacher, entrepreneur, and author — shared a powerful method for success during his TEDx talk. His teaching is based on ancient Tibetan wisdom from the 4th century. This method is called The 4 Steps, and it helps people achieve any goal — wealth, love, health, or happiness.
The Famous Pen Story: What Is Reality?
In his talk, Geshe Michael explains a famous Buddhist concept with a simple object — a pen.
If a person sees a pen, they know it’s for writing. But if a small dog sees the same object, it sees something to chew.
So — what is this object really?
The answer is: it depends on the observer.
This idea is called emptiness in Buddhism. Things don’t exist independently — they appear to us based on the seeds in our mind. These seeds are created by our past actions.
How Do Seeds Work?
When you give something to another person — a pen, money, love, or help — you are planting a seed in your mind. Later, this seed “opens” and creates your reality.
Everything you experience comes from the seeds you have planted.
The 4 Steps Method to Achieve Your Goals
Geshe Michael Roach explains a simple 4-step system to plant seeds for anything you want in life:
Step 1: Decide What You Want
Be clear about your goal — money, a partner, good health, or even world peace.
Step 2: Find Someone Who Wants the Same Thing
Look for another person who also wants what you want. For example, if you want love, help a lonely person.
Step 3: Help Them Every Week
Spend time helping this person with love and care. Support them emotionally, give advice, or provide practical help.
Step 4: Do the Coffee Meditation
Every night before sleep, think about the good you did for the other person. Feel happy about it. This makes the seed in your mind grow faster and stronger.
Why Is This Method Powerful?
According to Geshe Michael Roach, these 4 steps can create any result — wealth, love, success, or happiness — because they follow the natural law of karma.
Helping others with a good heart plants the seeds for your own success.
Watch the TEDx Talk
Watch the full TEDx talk by Geshe Michael Roach to learn more about the Pen Story and the 4 Steps method:
