What Is That You Truly Desire?
- RV Lúcido
- Sep 22
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 22
What is that one thing you truly desire?
We live in a world where questions are thrown at us every day, some about survival, some about responsibilities, and some about dreams. But there is one question that feels heavier than the rest, a question that makes people stop mid-sentence, look away, or suddenly become uncomfortable: What is it that you truly desire?
It’s not a question about what you need. Needs are easy, viz., food, shelter, safety, love. It’s not even about what you want in passing those temporary impulses that fade away once the novelty wears off. The question here is deeper, heavier, and a little haunting: What is the one thing that, if fulfilled, would make your existence feel complete?
Most people avoid this question because it requires honesty. It’s easy to chase what society tells us to, money, fame, status, because those are safe answers. But when you strip away expectations, social masks, and the pressure of comparison, you’re left facing your inner truth. That’s where the discomfort lies. Because the truth doesn’t always align with what looks “successful” to the world.
A Small Story That Changed My Thinking
Let me tell you a story.
A friend of mine, brilliant in academics, landed a well-paying corporate job. On paper, everything looked perfect salary, position, recognition. Yet, every time we met, he looked drained, as if life was happening to him, not with him. One evening over tea, I asked him the same question: What do you truly desire?
At first, he laughed it off. Then, after a long pause, he whispered, “I’ve always wanted to write.”
I could see the weight in his voice. He wasn’t saying he hated his job; he just admitted his heart was somewhere else. Writing gave him a sense of freedom, an identity he couldn’t get from numbers on a screen or corporate designations. Yet, fear kept him away from fear of instability, fear of judgment, fear of failure.
And that’s when it struck me: our deepest desires often live in the shadow of fear.
That conversation didn’t just change him; it made me question myself too. How many of us are living in delay mode, waiting for the “right time” to follow what we truly desire, only to realize years later that the right time never arrives unless we create it?
Lessons That Desire Teaches Us
If you pay attention, desire isn’t just a feeling, it’s a teacher. It shows us where our energy flows naturally. It points toward what lights us up without external validation.
The lesson here is simple yet profound: what you desire isn’t random, it’s connected to your inner blueprint.
If you’re someone who loves creating, connecting, solving, teaching, or expressing, your desires will always revolve around these areas. Society may call it impractical, but your soul knows otherwise.
Another truth is this: desire demands courage. It’s not enough to identify it, you must be willing to move towards it, even in small steps. Desire without action is just fantasy, and fantasy without courage leads to regret.
Also, READ | A Sense of Attachment
Practical Takeaways (Without Pretending It’s Easy)
So how do we translate this heavy, soul-stirring concept into life that is both realistic and inspiring?
First, start by asking yourself: If no one judged me, if failure didn’t exist, what would I wake up and do every day? That’s usually your true desire peeking through.
Second, accept that chasing your desire doesn’t always mean quitting your job or taking dramatic risks. Desire grows with presence. Sometimes writing for one hour a day, painting over the weekend, or slowly building a side project is enough to keep the flame alive until it’s ready to become your main fire.
Third, be prepared for resistance. Fear will whisper in your ear: “What if this doesn’t work out?” But the bigger question is: What if it does? What if, ten years from now, you wake up one morning realizing that you could have lived differently, but you didn’t because you let fear win?
And finally, connect your desire to service. The purest desires are not selfish—they elevate others too. If your true desire is to sing, write, build, or lead, remember that in doing so, you’re not just fulfilling yourself, you’re inspiring others who silently carry the same flame inside them.
The Beauty of Owning Your Desire
When you finally accept your true desire, something shifts inside you. Life doesn’t suddenly become easy, but it becomes alive. Every struggle has meaning because it’s tied to your calling. Every win feels amplified, not because the world approves, but because your soul does.
Here’s the beauty: desire is not about achievement, it’s about alignment. You don’t need to own the world to be fulfilled; you just need to live in alignment with the truth of who you are.
Sometimes that desire will lead you to big stages and loud applause. Sometimes it will lead you to quiet rooms where you create something that only a few people will see, yet those few will be transformed. Both are equally powerful.
Also, READ | The Power of Affirmations
Closing Thoughts
So, let me ask you again, as you sit here reading this: What is it that you truly desire?
Not what you think you “should” want. Not what your family, society, or peers expect. But what your soul has been quietly whispering in the background while you drown in noise.
If you don’t have an answer right away, that’s okay. Sometimes desire reveals itself slowly, like a flower opening with the sun. The important thing is to start listening.
Because once you do, you’ll realize that desire isn’t a distraction from life, it is life. It is the compass pointing you back to yourself.
And maybe, just maybe, when you follow it, you won’t just change your own world—you’ll change someone else’s too.
Also, READ | When I met myself
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