“Desire is a contract you make with yourself to be unhappy until you get what you want.”
– Naval Ravikant
I can hear some of you whispering in your minds:
“Really? Well, shit…how long is that going to take?”
To which I would reply:
“Forever.”
Yes, relying on contingencies for happiness ensures it ain’t comin’ any time soon. “When this happens, then I’ll be happy”…never happens. We don’t suddenly round the corner and arrive at some lovely, peaceful village, and it doesn’t show up on our doorstep like a lost dog. It’s not outside. It’s inside.
Our thoughts influence our feelings and our feelings influence our thoughts. In a malignant orgy of naked, twisted limbs our dysfunction doesn’t know up from down in its pleasure-seeking quest for “more”. More. Period.
Perpetually dissatisfied, we crave filling some hole with more- love, stuff, meaning, joy, or just fill-in-the-blank. And, we never get these things we crave, at least for very long, because once they arrive, we quickly realize they didn’t do the job, and we look for something else. Again and forever.
Unless, we don’t. We don’t have to chase this squirrel. We can choose to take a different route. This path involves putting an eyeball on ourselves- what we think, and why we think those thoughts- what we feel, and why we feel those feelings. This can be a messy, sometimes bloody process of sausage-making. It’s not pretty. But, it’s necessary.
Life is a short or long trip, but it’s always worth the gas. We already have everything we need, and life is already beautiful and rich. Realizing this liberates us from the wet, hungry lips of desire. We can then relax, and do good work, and be with people who remind us that we’re rich. This feeling is the answer we’re all looking for, and this shift is a choice. And, it’s ours to make any time we choose. This is an important path to travel, and it’s worth the gas, too…
Photo credit: Robin Malmanger
Dave Markwell is a life-long Des Moines liver and lover. Former owner of Waterland CrossFit and the Waterland Arcade, Dave uses his unique story-telling voice to help small businesses tell a better story, and his love for people to help folks live bigger and better lives. For more info, check out his website: wordsbydave.net
