--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: when you want something so desperately…" description: "\"when you want something so desperately, you shake with the need for it. you tell yourself that you don't need more than one sip, because it's just the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/jodi-picoult-45_able_when-you-want-something-so-desperately-y_1955331.jpg" --- # when you want something so desperately, you shake with the… ![“when you want something so desperately, you shake with the need for it. you tell yourself that you don't need more than one sip, because it's just the taste you crave, and once it's on your tongue you will be able to make it last alifetime. you dream of it at night. you see a thousand mile-high…” quote by Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/jodi-picoult-45_able_when-you-want-something-so-desperately-y_1955331.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/jodi-picoult-45_able_when-you-want-something-so-desperately-y_1955331.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/jodi-picoult-45_able_when-you-want-something-so-desperately-y_1955331.jpg) > “when you want something so desperately, you shake with the need for it. you tell yourself that you don't need more than one sip, because it's just the taste you crave, and once it's on your tongue you will be able to make it last alifetime. you dream of it at night. you see a thousand mile-high obstacles between where you stand and what you want, and you convince yourself you have the power to hurdle them. you tell yourself this even when, leaping the first block, you wind up bruised and bloodied and flattened.” [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intense desire can amplify perceived obstacles, leading to self‑deception about effort and reward. **In simple terms:** Strong cravings distort reality and cause self‑inflicted pain. Key Takeaway Recognize desire, assess realistic steps. Themes desire self‑deception obstacle perception resilience Mood anxious determined reflective Type motivational cautionary psychological When to use this quote - goal setting - addiction recovery - personal growth - overcoming setbacks Key Concepts psychology motivation cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - What drives your cravings? - How can you balance desire with realistic planning? A Different Perspective Desire alone doesn't guarantee success; action must be sustainable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Hurdle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurdle/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Obstacles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obstacles/) [What you want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/what-you-want/) [Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wind/) ## Related quotes > [“The more you taste it, the more you crave it...wait a second...taste?!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rucy-ban/the-more-you-taste-it-the-more-you-crave-it-wait-a-second-taste/) [Rucy Ban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rucy-ban/) > [“It just goes to show you: you can put nine thousand miles between you and another person. You can make a vow to never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/it-just-goes-to-show-you-you-can-put-nine-thousand-miles-between-you/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [If only you saw what I could seeyou'd understand why I want you so desperately right now I'mlooking at you and I can't belive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-only-you-saw-what-i-could-seeyou-d-understand-why-i-want-you-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“To want something desperately, to be tested, to feel that life will be impossible if the object of one's desires is not achieved, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-forbes/to-want-something-desperately-to-be-tested-to-feel-that-life-will-be/) Bryan Forbes > [“I would do anything for you... anything. The only thing I can't do is pretend I'm not in love with you. I have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genna-rulon/i-would-do-anything-for-you-anything-the-only-thing-i-can-t-do-is-2/) [Genna Rulon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genna-rulon/) > [Two things we want so desperately, glory and relationship, can coexist only in God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/two-things-we-want-so-desperately-glory-and-relationship-can-coexist/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [You can have anything you want if you want it desperately enough. You must want it with an inner exuberance that erupts through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-have-anything-you-want-if-you-want-it-desperately-enough-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The two things we all want so desperately — glory and relationship — can coexist only with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-two-things-we-all-want-so-desperately-glory-and-relationship-can/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [My twenties were such a struggle - it's really hard not to be doing the thing that you want so desperately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-coughlan/my-twenties-were-such-a-struggle-it-s-really-hard-not-to-be-doing-the/) [Nicola Coughlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-coughlan/) > [“When you want something desperately, the whole universe conspires to get you that thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-you-want-something-desperately-the-whole-universe-conspires-to/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I can think of nothing more soul destroying in life than to persist in trying to do a thing you want desperately to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/i-can-think-of-nothing-more-soul-destroying-in-life-than-to-persist/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [When you want something desperately and you lose it, no matter how hard you try to get yourself motivated, it's always difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-jay-okocha/when-you-want-something-desperately-and-you-lose-it-no-matter-how/) [Jay-Jay Okocha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-jay-okocha/) > [Well, you know how it feels if you begin hoping for something that you want desperately badly; you almost fight against the hope because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/well-you-know-how-it-feels-if-you-begin-hoping-for-something-that-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We want something desperately and we try to force the God to give it up before it is ready. We want everything now. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-want-something-desperately-and-we-try-to-force-the-god-to-give-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I no longer feel the need to see and sense more than I've already experienced. I just want so desperately to hang on what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/i-no-longer-feel-the-need-to-see-and-sense-more-than-i-ve-already/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) ## More by Jodi Picoult > [You get through it, you just never get over it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-get-through-it-you-just-never-get-over-it/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Let me guess," Eric says, "You never meant for it to happen." "Hell, yes, I did. I've wanted her since you two started dating."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/let-me-guess-eric-says-you-never-meant-for-it-to-happen-hell-yes-i/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“It’s the difference between dancing along the eggshell crust of acquaintance and diving into the messy center of a relationship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/it-s-the-difference-between-dancing-along-the-eggshell-crust-of/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Because hate's just the flip side of love. Like heads and tails on a dime. If you don't know what it feels like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/because-hate-s-just-the-flip-side-of-love-like-heads-and-tails-on-a/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Some women are meant to change the world, while others are meant to hold it together. And then there are those of us who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/some-women-are-meant-to-change-the-world-while-others-are-meant-to/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [I love feeling loved. I don't love knowing that I will always come in second place. I love the fact that at least sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-love-feeling-loved-i-don-t-love-knowing-that-i-will-always-come-in/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Music is the language of memory”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/music-is-the-language-of-memory/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [But there is a different between mending someone who's broken and finding someone who makes you complete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/but-there-is-a-different-between-mending-someone-who-s-broken-and/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“sometimes words are not big enough to contain all the feelings you are trying to pour into them. My”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/sometimes-words-are-not-big-enough-to-contain-all-the-feelings-you/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“The age wasn't as important as the milestones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-age-wasn-t-as-important-as-the-milestones/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [The night is falling down around us. Meteors rain like fireworks, quick rips in the seam of the dark... Every second, another streak of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-night-is-falling-down-around-us-meteors-rain-like-fireworks-quick/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“When she had packed all the artifacts that made up their personal history into liquor store boxes, the house became strictly a feminine place.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/when-she-had-packed-all-the-artifacts-that-made-up-their-personal/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Maybe who we are isn't so much about what we do, but rather what we're capable of when we least expect it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/maybe-who-we-are-isn-t-so-much-about-what-we-do-but-rather-what-we-re/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Here's what I hadn't realized : the mother you haven't seen for almost 36 years isn't your mother. She is a stranger. Sharing DNA…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/here-s-what-i-hadn-t-realized-the-mother-you-haven-t-seen-for-almost/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [My brother believed in all sorts of mythical creatures: pixies, dragons, werewolves, honest men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/my-brother-believed-in-all-sorts-of-mythical-creatures-pixies-dragons/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) [Explore all 2,062 Jodi Picoult quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [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/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. 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