Desire Quote by Eckhart Tolle
““Another aspect of the emotional pain that is an intrinsic part of the egoic mind is a deep-seated sense of lack or incompleteness, of not being whole. In some people, this is conscious, in others unconscious. If it is conscious, it manifests as the unsettling and constant feeling of not being worthy or good enough. If it is unconscious, it will only be felt indirectly as an intense craving, wanting and needing. In either case, people will often enter into a compulsive pursuit of ego-gratification and things to identify with in order to fill this hole they feel within. So they strive after possessions, money, success, power, recognition, or a special relationship, basically so that they can feel better about themselves, feel more complete. But even when they attain all these things, they soon find that the hole is still there, that it is bottomless. Then they are really in trouble, because they cannot delude themselves anymore. Well, they can and do, but it gets more difficult.””
About This Quote
Source Book: A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle, 2005
The ego creates a feeling of emptiness that drives people to seek external validation, yet material success never truly fills that inner void.
In simple terms: People chase external things to feel whole, but the inner gap remains.
Key Takeaway
Recognize inner wholeness beyond external achievements.
Themes
self‑esteem
ego
materialism
spirituality
Mood
reflective
somber
hopeful
Type
advice
philosophical
When to use this quote
- career ambition
- relationship seeking
- consumerism
- addiction
- personal growth
Key Concepts
psychology
existential void
compulsiveness
Questions to Reflect On
- What inner needs are you trying to satisfy with external success?
- How can you cultivate inner completeness without relying on possessions?
A Different Perspective
Even after achieving goals, the underlying sense of lack may persist, leading to deeper dissatisfaction.
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