Take life in the world as a compulsory duty imposed on you.

When Pandavas were traversing the Himalayas, Dharmaraja was af­fected by mental anxieties and prayed to Krishna for help. Lord Krishna gave them solace and gave Dharmaraja a note, which he was to read to himself whenever he was affected by joy or grief. The note read: “This too shall pass” (Eppudu undadhu). This method will calm your mental agitations. Take life in the world as a compulsory duty imposed on you. You are now in jail under a sentence for crimes committed in a previous birth. The superintendent assigns various duties — cooking, drawing water, chopping wood, etc. Do work assigned to the best of your ability, without any expectation of reward. If you behave well, do assigned duties without demur and cause no trouble, then you may be released sooner, with a certificate that you are reliable and good. This analogy should help you practice selfless action without expecting reward (nishkama karma), and help you curb your senses.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba