Have you ever wanted something so badly that the thought of not having it became almost unbearable?
Perhaps it was a relationship, a career, financial security, recognition, or simply a particular way you imagined your life should unfold.
Now consider something slightly different.
What if you could still want that same thing, work towards it, enjoy the possibility of achieving it, but remain reasonably at peace if it never happened?
Years ago, I began exploring the difference between desire and preference.
To me, desire could sometimes become a demand placed upon life. Preference, on the other hand, allowed a little more room to breathe.
It didn't mean giving up ambition, withdrawing from life, or pretending not to care.
It simply raised a question.
Are we pursuing something because we would genuinely enjoy experiencing it, or because we've come to believe we cannot be happy without it?