The Great Desire: Why Facing Your Desires is the Key to Happiness

"It's the hardest thing in the world, to do what we really want to do. And it takes the greatest kind of courage. I mean what we really want, as I wanted to marry you. Not as I want to sleep with some woman or get drunk or get my name in the papers. Those aren't even desires. Those are things people do to escape from desires. Because it's truly such a big responsibility, to really want something." - Peter Keating, "The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand

We've all heard the phrase, "Be careful what you wish for." But what if I told you the key to life is to actually pursue your deepest desires? The Ancient Greeks called this "felicity". The authentic pursuit and satisfaction of your core drive. And while it may seem like a paradox, the truth is, it takes a great deal of courage to do what we truly want in life.

We live in a world that's overflowing with distractions and seductions that steer us away from our true desires. We reach for temporary satisfaction through material goods, fame, and cheap dopamine, but these are not our desires. They are simply diversions from the things that truly ignite our passions.

Pursuing our desires requires us to take a deep dive into ourselves. To look into the shadows of past trauma and previous neglect. To unearth what we truly wanted from life and for ourselves. And then we have to ascertain what it takes to get there. It demands that we confront our fears and insecurities head-on. And it pushes us out of our comfort zones to take bold and daring actions.

But despite the challenges, the rewards prove to be in line with that magic abstraction of a word: fulfillment. When we chase after our desires, we tap into a wellspring of purpose and happiness that money just can't buy. We become more self-assured and confident, and we shape a life that's in sync with our values and goals. That's in flow with the Universe and who we know ourselves to be.

So, how do we summon the courage to pursue our desires? We must carve out time to understand what we really want and what steps we need to take to get there. Adopting a growth mindset is crucial. We must fail early, fail often, and fail forward.

Pursuing our true desires is not easy. There will be social pressure. Family pressure. Financial pressure. But it is the key to a happy and fulfilling life. And when you do what is easy, your life will be hard. But you'll find when you do what is hard, your life will become easy.

Don't be afraid to face your desires head on and have the courage to make them a reality.

"Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark in the hopeless swamps of the not-quite, the not-yet, and the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish in lonely frustration for the life you deserved and have never been able to reach. The world you desire can be won. It exists.. it is real.. it is possible.. it's yours." - "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand