Desire is a contract (067)

Focus for the week

Appreciating and being happy for what I already have.

I am starting to realize that I cannot live my life in a constant state of desire and wonder why I am unfulfilled. Desire is a contract you make with yourself to be unhappy until you get what you want. For this reason, it is absolutely imperative to cultivate a mindset of abundance and gratitude.

Instead of countless desires, pick one, and understand that this thing will be the axis of your suffering. If you have a hundred desires, it is impossible to be happy for you have so little of what you want. If you only have one major desire, it is less overwhelming and more likely that you can work your way towards achieving the one thing.

What I’m Reading

Last week I read Lying by Sam Harris. He makes the case for why lying, at all, ever, can and should be avoided and will lead to a more fulfilling life with better relationships and conversations. Even in extreme cases where Nazis are at your door and Anne Frank is in the attic, he advocates against lying. Other subjects include not lying to your kids about Santa, ethical journalism, and false encouragement. I highly recommend this quick read.

This week I will be reading Essentialism by Greg McKeown.

Have a great week :)

Lucas