--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Know what you desire, but, more…" description: "\"“Know what you desire, but, more importantly, why you desire it. That why was where the trick lay, I realized. Why was a land of trapdoors and hidden p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6e/deb-caletti-697_desire_know-what-you-desire-but-more-importantl_1874693.png" --- # Know what you desire, but, more importantly, why you… ![“Know what you desire, but, more importantly, why you desire it. That why was where the trick lay, I realized. Why was a land of trapdoors and hidden places, trees and rocks that looked like one thing, but were actually another.” quote by Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6e/deb-caletti-697_desire_know-what-you-desire-but-more-importantl_1874693.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6e/deb-caletti-697_desire_know-what-you-desire-but-more-importantl_1874693.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6e/deb-caletti-697_desire_know-what-you-desire-but-more-importantl_1874693.png) > ““Know what you desire, but, more importantly, why you desire it. That why was where the trick lay, I realized. Why was a land of trapdoors and hidden places, trees and rocks that looked like one thing, but were actually another.”” [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding the underlying motivation behind desires reveals hidden complexities and potential traps. **In simple terms:** Know why you want something to avoid hidden pitfalls. Key Takeaway Identify and examine your true motivations. Themes self-awareness motivation psychology Mood reflective curious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal decisions - career planning - relationship choices - creative projects Key Concepts introspection goal-setting Questions to Reflect On - What core need does this desire fulfill? - How might hidden motives affect your choices? A Different Perspective Motivation can be influenced by external pressures, making true intent hard to discern. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desire Trick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-trick-2609592/) [Know Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-desire-578724/) [Land Trapdoors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/land-trapdoors-2609593/) [Realized Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realized-land-2609594/) ## Related quotes > [The problem for us is not are our desires satisfied or not. The problem is how do we know what we desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slavoj-i-ek/the-problem-for-us-is-not-are-our-desires-satisfied-or-not-the/) [Slavoj Žižek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slavoj-i-ek/) > [When you pray, you know that you want something, that's always the first step. to let yourself know that you want something, that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/when-you-pray-you-know-that-you-want-something-that-s-always-the/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [Deny your desires and you will find what your heart longs for. For how do you know if any desire of yours is according…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-john-of-the-cross/deny-your-desires-and-you-will-find-what-your-heart-longs-for-for-how/) [St John Of The Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-john-of-the-cross/) > [“Why is it that you don’t know what to do when there is desire? I’ll tell you why. Because this rigid decision of yours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/why-is-it-that-you-don-t-know-what-to-do-when-there-is-desire-i-ll/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [“Science itself, no matter whether it is the search for truth or merely the need to gain control over the external world, to alleviate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-broglie/science-itself-no-matter-whether-it-is-the-search-for-truth-or-merely/) [Louis de Broglie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-broglie/) > [For what are we looking for if not to please? I do not know if the desire to attract others comes from a superabundance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-sagan/for-what-are-we-looking-for-if-not-to-please-i-do-not-know-if-the/) [Francoise Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-sagan/) > [You perhaps now know that desire reduces us to pulp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-bataille/you-perhaps-now-know-that-desire-reduces-us-to-pulp/) [Georges Bataille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-bataille/) > [We don't even know what our desire is. We ask other people to tell us our desires. We would like our desires to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-girard/we-don-t-even-know-what-our-desire-is-we-ask-other-people-to-tell-us/) [Rene Girard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-girard/) > [“Malachi make sure you know the desire of your heart is the right desire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-leland/malachi-make-sure-you-know-the-desire-of-your-heart-is-the-right/) [Rick Leland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-leland/) > [Men know almost nothing about desire, they think it has to do with sexual activity or can be discharged that way. But sex is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/men-know-almost-nothing-about-desire-they-think-it-has-to-do-with/) [Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) > [You know me, you know me all too well. My only desire - to bridge our division.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killswitch-engage/you-know-me-you-know-me-all-too-well-my-only-desire-to-bridge-our/) [Killswitch Engage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killswitch-engage/) > [We know desire is rooted in absence and yearning. What you don't have is often ten times richer than what you actually experience. An…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/we-know-desire-is-rooted-in-absence-and-yearning-what-you-don-t-have/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [“I know desire when I see it—and yet, this time, it slipped by completely. I was going for the devious smile that would suddenly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/i-know-desire-when-i-see-it-and-yet-this-time-it-slipped-by/) [André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/) > [“Desire is simple," he said. "Desire is something even a machine can understand." There was a stillness in the air that mirrored the stillness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-rose-clarke/desire-is-simple-he-said-desire-is-something-even-a-machine-can/) [Cassandra Rose Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-rose-clarke/) > [Very few persons, comparatively, know how to Desire with sufficient intensity. They do not know what it is to feel and manifest that intense,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-collier/very-few-persons-comparatively-know-how-to-desire-with-sufficient/) [Robert Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-collier/) ## More by Deb Caletti > [“More, much more, will happen after this. Things involving maps and books and true love and tragedy, tragedy like you wouldn't believe. But fine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/more-much-more-will-happen-after-this-things-involving-maps-and-books/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [“Hannah and Kayla are talking without saying anything. Their conversation goes like this: Hannah: Uh-huh. Kayla: It was like, ugh! Hannah: I know. Kayla:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/hannah-and-kayla-are-talking-without-saying-anything-their/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [Another person is, at the heart of it, unknowable. And if you cannot know a person enough to always guess what they’re capable of,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/another-person-is-at-the-heart-of-it-unknowable-and-if-you-cannot/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [That's what people do who love you. They put their arms around you and love you when you're not so lovable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/that-s-what-people-do-who-love-you-they-put-their-arms-around-you-and/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [If fate is a shape-shifter, then loves is too. It can be, anyway, in its most dangerous form. It´s your best day and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/if-fate-is-a-shape-shifter-then-loves-is-too-it-can-be-anyway-in-its/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [If you don't participate, you're just taking up oxygen. (Bunny) Life is a banquet. Approach it with hunger. (Chuck)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/if-you-don-t-participate-you-re-just-taking-up-oxygen-bunny-life-is-a/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [“You wanted more from people sometimes. And sometimes,you wanted more from yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/you-wanted-more-from-people-sometimes-and-sometimes-you-wanted-more/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [Because that’s how it works after something terrible has happened. You know this is true if something terrible has ever happened to you. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/because-that-s-how-it-works-after-something-terrible-has-happened-you/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [“Good guy. There was efficiency to male language. Those two words were what guys said about other guys that they really respected. Guys they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/good-guy-there-was-efficiency-to-male-language-those-two-words-were/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [“In a world of insanity, nothing is sacred. It's an insane world, nothing is sacred.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/in-a-world-of-insanity-nothing-is-sacred-it-s-an-insane-world-nothing/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [“And because he was nice in the beginning did not mean he was a good man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/and-because-he-was-nice-in-the-beginning-did-not-mean-he-was-a-good/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [“I like those very realistic paintings that look like photographs, or novels that are so much like actual life that you feel understood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/i-like-those-very-realistic-paintings-that-look-like-photographs-or/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [This is what happens when nice people are pushed too far. We give too many chances, and so when we've finally had enough, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/this-is-what-happens-when-nice-people-are-pushed-too-far-we-give-too/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [“I confess I had a Child of Divorce Reunion Fantasy Number One Thousand, where I for a moment imagined my father finding out that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/i-confess-i-had-a-child-of-divorce-reunion-fantasy-number-one/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [so what brings you to the doctor today?" "hmm, im afraid i have the chronic desire to save people" "i know about that. i've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/so-what-brings-you-to-the-doctor-today-hmm-im-afraid-i-have-the/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) [Explore all 404 Deb Caletti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) ## More Desire quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) [Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/) > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/) [John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/) > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“THE ESSENCE OF YOUR DESIRE IS A FEELING”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/the-essence-of-your-desire-is-a-feeling/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [On the brink of being satiated, desire still appears infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/on-the-brink-of-being-satiated-desire-still-appears-infinite/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-deepest-urge-in-human-nature-is-the-desire-to-be-important/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [“from THE DEVIL YOU KNOW : She wanted him too. He could see it in the rapid rise of her breasts. He could smell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emery-lee/from-the-devil-you-know-she-wanted-him-too-he-could-see-it-in-the/) [Emery Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emery-lee/) [Browse all 15,155 Desire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Know what you desire, but, more importantly, why you desire it. That why was where the trick lay, I realized. 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