In self-centred activity, there is nothing that you can do to bring about a change. That is one of the most difficult things to realise. When you are confronted with a problem, and you look at it completely silently, without any commitment, then you are immediately in contact with it, not as the observer and the observed, but only the fact of what is. Then you will see for yourself that there is a tremendous change which is not brought about by thought or pleasure or by the avoidance of pain.