Attachment to a desired outcome blinds us to the actual problem in front of us and, therefore, also to its solution. In order to approach a problem objectively, intelligently, and decisively, we must first step back from it so that we can see it clearly, without the distractions of emotion or opinion. We must look … Continue reading Detachment From Desire (On Problem Solving)
Contentment begins with aligning our desires with our needs. Often, what we want and what we need are quite different from one another. Part of maturing as a human being is developing the ability to look beyond the former and embrace the latter, ideally to the point where they eventually converge such that what we … Continue reading Need Should Inform Desire (On Contentment)
“If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will.” —Greg McKeown from ‘Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less’ In times of confusion and difficulty, often the only things we have to fall back on are our principles, our beliefs, and those things we hold to be most essential in our lives. While it is in … Continue reading Voluntary Essentialism
Often, the struggle we face in our lives is between what other people want from us and what we actually want for ourselves. When we are young, we are told that we can be anything we want to be when we grow up, but, as we get older, we are also told that we must … Continue reading Be Yourself For Others
We can talk about what we want forever, but no one will take us seriously until we actually take action. Basing our lives on shoulds, oughts, and wants does nothing to move us in the direction of our actual desires. In fact, quite often, we find ourselves saying the things we want as a way … Continue reading Desire Is Not Doing
