Many people see desire as static. It isn’t. Human desire can change, and we have the power to change it.
Sometimes you have to act first in order to create the desire(s) you want to have. Otherwise, your current desires will dictate your actions and reinforce themselves.
Action creates and changes our desires, in a general sense and immediately. If you feel stuck, remember this.
You should never feel defeated because you desire the wrong things right now. That’s like holding a hammer and nail while saying, “I wish this wall had a nail in it. Too bad that it doesn’t.”
This also calls for experimentation. It’s likely that some of your greatest potential desires and passions are undiscovered—you just haven’t found them yet, or experienced them in the right way.
I Hated Writing
In school, I was always a math guy; English classes were my least favorite. Today, I love writing. Once I wrote on my own volition about things that interested me, I unearthed this desire. Whether the desire was always there or I created it from nothing with my actions, I don’t know, but I had to do it in order to gain the desire to write. And within that, my desire to write has increased as I’ve written more and become more proficient.
I think this is so important because desire seems like something you have or don’t have. And if you desire things that ruin your life instead of things that give you life, it can feel hopeless. But if desire can be created purposefully, it opens up a plethora of exciting options for your future.
Desire is Perception
Human desire is all in the mind. For example, beauty standards differ by culture and by time period, which means that the same person could be considered undesirable in one place and desirable in another time and/or place. The person didn’t change, people’s desires did. This concept is true on a personal and broader level.
I used to love to drink soda. It was sweet and tasty, and the carbonation gave it interesting mouth feel. When I learned more about soda in terms of health, my desire for it changed immediately. I don’t drink it anymore, not because I ban myself from doing so, but because I’d rather drink water. Genuinely. I once got a meal that came with a free soda, and I asked for water, and the employee seemed confused by it. He didn’t understand because he perceived soda differently.
To change your desire, you must change your perception. Sometimes this is done through information, but most often it is done through experience. Another health-related perception change came for me in college, when I decided to eat healthier, organic food. That was the first time in my life that I didn’t fall asleep in class. I always thought it was from boredom, but it may have (also) been from poor nutrition! My perception changed from thinking that food was mostly about taste to seeing the difference in fuel quality for my body.
Conclusion: Just because you do or don’t desire something, does not mean that you can’t change it! Lead with action, and your desires will change.
