The Path Of Duty
Hindu scriptures place high emphasis on Dharma, loosely translated as moral duty. This concept becomes harder to grasp when you realise it shifts according to context. It is this moral duty that Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita asks Arjuna to perform—regardless of its implications, regardless of his own feelings, and regardless of its supposed consequences. He owes nothing save the duty he is meant to fulfil.
I have tried to incorporate the Bhagavad Gita into my life for many years. Whenever I find myself stuck in a difficult phase, I ask myself a simple question: what is my dharma here? There is often a difference between what I want and what I should do. What I want is my desire; what I should do is my dharma. I realised much later that following dharma has led me to better mental spaces by increasing my satisfaction, reducing guilt, and leaving me with absolutely no regret about my actions.
Every time I chose what I should do instead of what I wanted to do, I was inadvertently conquering my desires. Initially, it was harder—you are, after all, choosing to deal with difficult emotions rather than abandoning your dharma. The beauty of moral duty is that it comes with context, so there's no one-size-fits-all approach. As a son, your dharma differs from that as a husband; as a friend, it differs from that as a brother.
There could come a time when two moral duties collide. Consider Arjuna, whose dharma as a grandson demanded obeying the orders of the patriarch, which was to avoid fighting the war, but whose dharma as a kshatriya was to fight those same patriarchs. Which should he choose? In such cases, you choose the dharma that benefits the larger community. Arjuna fighting that battle was important because it would ensure the guilty were punished and the nation would usher in an era of dutiful governance. That which benefits the larger community is the greater dharma.
While I have tried to explain this as simply as possible, there are further nuances to the concept. However, the fundamental truth remains: it is more fulfilling and easier to live a life of duty and responsibility than to live a life guided by whims. It brings greater satisfaction when you know you are doing what's best under the circumstances. And there is a higher likelihood that what you did was indeed the right thing.
You don't need to read the Bhagavad Gita to understand that performing your duties without focusing on what you'll gain helps you conquer your desires and sleep well at night. You have the right to anger and a duty to respond appropriately when someone crosses the line, but your primary goal in life is to adhere to your duties and responsibilities. Nothing brings as much satisfaction as this.