Desire Quote by P.D. Ouspensky
“Desire is when you do what you want, will is when you can do what you do not want.”
About This Quote
Source Book: In Search of the Miraculous, P.D. Ouspensky, 1935
Desire drives actions aligned with personal wishes; will is the capacity to act against those wishes.
In simple terms: Desire is wanting; will is doing despite wanting.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate will to overcome impulsive desires.
Themes
self‑control
motivation
inner conflict
Mood
determined
reflective
Type
advice
psychological
When to use this quote
- habit formation
- goal setting
- addiction recovery
- ethical decisions
Key Concepts
volition
self‑discipline
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you distinguish desire from will in daily choices?
- What practices strengthen will against temptation?
A Different Perspective
Will alone cannot change external circumstances; it must be paired with strategy.
![“Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three [great teachers] did not tell - they catalyzed a burning desire to know. Under their influence, the horizons sprung wide and fear went away and the unknown became knowable. But most important of…” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/84c/john-steinbeck-71_art_teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-t_1738.jpg)
