Yesterday, I was discussing our dreams and goals with my wife, and I noticed a pattern. There were some things that we wanted that inspired us and other things that made us feel a bit of sorrow. Have you ever had that experience.
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We all have want and desires, but are these a good thing or a bad thing?
One of the fundamental principles of Buddhism is that all suffering comes from cravings and attachments. So, does that mean it is harmful to want, desire, set goals for higher accomplishments?
Well, the truth is that there are two kinds of wants:
1) Those that support you
2) Those that hold you back
How can you tell what kind of wants you are entertaining? Here are a few questions you can ask yourself:
– When I think of this want, do I feel excited to have it, or depressed that I don’t have it?
– Do you feel inspired or discouraged when you visualize your want?
So, what do you do about it?
If your wants are supportive and inspiring, great. Keep it up.
If you discover that your wants are unsupportive, you have two choices:
1) Abandon your wants (this is often a great choice because it allows you to focus your energy on fewer wants)
2) Change your response. Train yourself to feel good energies when you think of it. Focus on the joy of having it rather than the pain of not having it.
Tell me what your thoughts are in the comments below.
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