--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When it comes to desire, it's not a…" description: "\"When it comes to desire, it's not a matter of avoiding desire, but rather learning to discern those desires that are helpful and necessary for your gro..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46b/rod-stryker-11759_avoiding_when-it-comes-to-desire-it-s-not-a-matte_740670.png" --- # When it comes to desire, it's not a matter of avoiding… ![“When it comes to desire, it's not a matter of avoiding desire, but rather learning to discern those desires that are helpful and necessary for your growth - those that serve your soul and help you continue to thrive - from those that do not.” quote by Rod Stryker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46b/rod-stryker-11759_avoiding_when-it-comes-to-desire-it-s-not-a-matte_740670.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46b/rod-stryker-11759_avoiding_when-it-comes-to-desire-it-s-not-a-matte_740670.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46b/rod-stryker-11759_avoiding_when-it-comes-to-desire-it-s-not-a-matte_740670.png) > “When it comes to desire, it's not a matter of avoiding desire, but rather learning to discern those desires that are helpful and necessary for your growth - those that serve your soul and help you continue to thrive - from those that do not.” [Rod Stryker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stryker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Growth requires discerning beneficial desires from harmful ones, focusing on those that nurture the soul and support thriving, while letting go of unhelpful cravings. **In simple terms:** Choose desires that help you grow, discard the rest. Key Takeaway Prioritize soul‑nourishing desires. Themes growth mindfulness desire self‑care spirituality Mood inspirational thoughtful Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - career development - relationships - health habits - spiritual practice Key Concepts psychology values self‑discipline Questions to Reflect On - What desires truly serve your deeper purpose? - How can you test if a desire is beneficial? A Different Perspective Desires can be confusing; misidentification may stall progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Avoiding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoiding/) [Avoiding Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoiding-desire-1044134/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desires/) [Desires Helpful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desires-helpful-5783151/) [Discern Desires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discern-desires-3072370/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Helpful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helpful/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Serve Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serve-soul-1403843/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Thrive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thrive/) [Your soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your-soul/) ## Related quotes > [Being able to recognize which of your desires are vital to pursue and which ones are not is often less than easy. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stryker/being-able-to-recognize-which-of-your-desires-are-vital-to-pursue-and/) [Rod Stryker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stryker/) > [All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end. The cause of some going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/all-men-seek-happiness-this-is-without-exception-whatever-different-2/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Some have sought to avoid suffering by avoiding desire. Thus they have only small desires and small sufferings, poor fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-j-carroll/some-have-sought-to-avoid-suffering-by-avoiding-desire-thus-they-have/) [Peter J. Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-j-carroll/) > [“To be of service to others, is to serve our own soul, there is no greater love than the one we have been created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mimi-novic/to-be-of-service-to-others-is-to-serve-our-own-soul-there-is-no/) [Mimi Novic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mimi-novic/) > [Neither love nor hate, nor any order of intense adherence to personal involvement in human experience, may be so apt to serve the soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/neither-love-nor-hate-nor-any-order-of-intense-adherence-to-personal/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [Choose beliefs that serve your soul - choose beliefs that serve the grander dream of who you choose to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-page/choose-beliefs-that-serve-your-soul-choose-beliefs-that-serve-the/) [Joy Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-page/) > [The challenges we face in life are always lessons that serve our soul's growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-challenges-we-face-in-life-are-always-lessons-that-serve-our-soul/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I think of love as an action. Finding something that's outside of yourself, to serve someone else's soul, helping to ignite someone else's spirit,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/i-think-of-love-as-an-action-finding-something-that-s-outside-of/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) > [Disappointments in love, even betrayals and losses, serve the soul at the very moment they seem in life to be tragedies. The soul is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-moore/disappointments-in-love-even-betrayals-and-losses-serve-the-soul-at/) [Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) > [I know a bit about taxation and the remarkable effort that goes in to avoiding it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rinder/i-know-a-bit-about-taxation-and-the-remarkable-effort-that-goes-in-to/) [Robert Rinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rinder/) > [ I can hardly believe what these 12 caricatures \[about Prophet Muhammad\] have caused in the world. We Danes feel like we have been placed… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-fogh-rasmussen/i-can-hardly-believe-what-these-12-caricatures-about-prophet-muhammad/) [Anders Fogh Rasmussen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-fogh-rasmussen/) > [“What I'm trying to say is that I spent the last four months learning to be alone, avoiding the world, hating pretty much anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-cremer/what-i-m-trying-to-say-is-that-i-spent-the-last-four-months-learning/) [Andrea Cremer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-cremer/) > [I've always been a very restless person. I work hard, spend too much time looking after my son, I dance like a mad thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-ve-always-been-a-very-restless-person-i-work-hard-spend-too-much/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [Because after you've crossed some lines, you just keep crossing them. And there's no escaping from constant escape. Distracting ourselves. Avoiding confrontation. Getting past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/because-after-you-ve-crossed-some-lines-you-just-keep-crossing-them/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) ## More by Rod Stryker > [Do yoga in order to know what to do when you're not doing yoga.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stryker/do-yoga-in-order-to-know-what-to-do-when-you-re-not-doing-yoga/) [Rod Stryker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stryker/) > [I am passionate about learning to most fully embody the spark that is the source of life, the hidden glory of the Creator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stryker/i-am-passionate-about-learning-to-most-fully-embody-the-spark-that-is/) [Rod Stryker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stryker/) > [There is this expectation that as January 1st dawns, we're going to do it differently. Moreover, there's this kind of pressure, that even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stryker/there-is-this-expectation-that-as-january-1st-dawns-we-re-going-to-do/) [Rod Stryker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stryker/) > [In the end, yoga has less to do with what you can do with your body and more to do with the happiness that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stryker/in-the-end-yoga-has-less-to-do-with-what-you-can-do-with-your-body/) [Rod Stryker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stryker/) > [Yoga's ultimate intent is to achieve something far deeper and more meaningful than just a better body or less stress and tension. Its ultimate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stryker/yoga-s-ultimate-intent-is-to-achieve-something-far-deeper-and-more/) [Rod Stryker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stryker/) > [Any individual or society that fails to honor or provide the opportunity for women to fully exert their power can never truly prosper. All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stryker/any-individual-or-society-that-fails-to-honor-or-provide-the/) [Rod Stryker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stryker/) > [The more you insist on improving who and what you are, the more you become master of your destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stryker/the-more-you-insist-on-improving-who-and-what-you-are-the-more-you/) [Rod Stryker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stryker/) > [Yoga’s supreme objective is to awaken an exalted state of spiritual realization, yet the tradition also teaches you how to live and how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stryker/yoga-s-supreme-objective-is-to-awaken-an-exalted-state-of-spiritual/) [Rod Stryker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stryker/) > [What does "living your best life" mean to you? Does it mean accumulating wealth and fulfilling all your material wants? Or, does it mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stryker/what-does-living-your-best-life-mean-to-you-does-it-mean-accumulating/) [Rod Stryker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stryker/) > [Few things are more powerful than learning to trust that your path to a fulfilled life - and the glorious destiny that you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stryker/few-things-are-more-powerful-than-learning-to-trust-that-your-path-to/) [Rod Stryker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stryker/) > [Our self-acknowledgement, our dedication has to be bigger than our fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stryker/our-self-acknowledgement-our-dedication-has-to-be-bigger-than-our-fear/) [Rod Stryker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stryker/) > [Indeed, much to my parents' surprise, the first word I spoke in this lifetime was "light." Prior to uttering its name, however, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stryker/indeed-much-to-my-parents-surprise-the-first-word-i-spoke-in-this/) [Rod Stryker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stryker/) > [Learning to honor all four of your soul's desires compels you to thrive at every level, leads to lasting happiness as well as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stryker/learning-to-honor-all-four-of-your-soul-s-desires-compels-you-to/) [Rod Stryker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stryker/) > [Stop trying to distinguish the joy of meditation from the messiness of life. Begin to see the divine in everything. She is in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stryker/stop-trying-to-distinguish-the-joy-of-meditation-from-the-messiness/) [Rod Stryker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stryker/) > [Your long-term happiness and fulfillment depend on your ability to fulfill your soul’s unique purpose and to fill the place in the world that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stryker/your-long-term-happiness-and-fulfillment-depend-on-your-ability-to/) [Rod Stryker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stryker/) [Explore all 58 Rod Stryker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stryker/) ## More Avoiding quotes > [Because after you've crossed some lines, you just keep crossing them. And there's no escaping from constant escape. Distracting ourselves. Avoiding confrontation. Getting past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/because-after-you-ve-crossed-some-lines-you-just-keep-crossing-them/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [I've always been a very restless person. I work hard, spend too much time looking after my son, I dance like a mad thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-ve-always-been-a-very-restless-person-i-work-hard-spend-too-much/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“What I'm trying to say is that I spent the last four months learning to be alone, avoiding the world, hating pretty much anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-cremer/what-i-m-trying-to-say-is-that-i-spent-the-last-four-months-learning/) [Andrea Cremer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-cremer/) > [ I can hardly believe what these 12 caricatures \[about Prophet Muhammad\] have caused in the world. We Danes feel like we have been placed… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-fogh-rasmussen/i-can-hardly-believe-what-these-12-caricatures-about-prophet-muhammad/) [Anders Fogh Rasmussen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-fogh-rasmussen/) > [I know a bit about taxation and the remarkable effort that goes in to avoiding it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rinder/i-know-a-bit-about-taxation-and-the-remarkable-effort-that-goes-in-to/) [Robert Rinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rinder/) > [When you are in hard labor, remember that the length of labor is usually proportional to the number of people around. Avoid the presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-odent/when-you-are-in-hard-labor-remember-that-the-length-of-labor-is/) [Michel Odent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-odent/) > [I don't believe in happy endings. Children have got to face death sooner or later. Granny and Grandpa die, dogs die, cats die, gerbils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-briggs/i-don-t-believe-in-happy-endings-children-have-got-to-face-death/) [Raymond Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-briggs/) > [Resisting and avoiding pain sucks energy-and time. The more you let yourself feel those minute-and-a-half hells, the quicker you'll start feeling those minute-and-a-half happinesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-newman/resisting-and-avoiding-pain-sucks-energy-and-time-the-more-you-let/) [Leigh Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-newman/) > [Reading is sometimes an ingenious device for avoiding thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-helps/reading-is-sometimes-an-ingenious-device-for-avoiding-thought/) [Arthur Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-helps/) > [A day can really slip by when you're deliberately avoiding what you're supposed to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/a-day-can-really-slip-by-when-you-re-deliberately-avoiding-what-you/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [When someone starts Ignoring you, just back off without staying there with them Just to know the reason for avoiding..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishak/when-someone-starts-ignoring-you-just-back-off-without-staying-there/) [Vishak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishak/) > [You know what takes effort? Being kind, being patient, being respectful, telling someone how you feel politely instead of just avoiding them for six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/you-know-what-takes-effort-being-kind-being-patient-being-respectful/) [Jake Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-tapper/) > [It's all about being flexible, and avoiding choices whenever possible. Choices suck, they are inherently limiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-armstrong/it-s-all-about-being-flexible-and-avoiding-choices-whenever-possible/) [Craig Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-armstrong/) > [In my personal life I'm very conservative. I've been married to the same person for nearly 50 years, I'm scrupulous about paying bills, avoiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/in-my-personal-life-i-m-very-conservative-i-ve-been-married-to-the/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) [Browse all 713 Avoiding quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoiding/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When it comes to desire, it's not a matter of avoiding desire, but rather learning to discern those desires that are helpful and necessary for your growth - those that serve your soul and help you continue to thrive - from those that do not.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rod Stryker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stryker/when-it-comes-to-desire-it-s-not-a-matter-of-avoiding-desire-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Avoiding" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stryker/when-it-comes-to-desire-it-s-not-a-matter-of-avoiding-desire-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46b/rod-stryker-11759_avoiding_when-it-comes-to-desire-it-s-not-a-matte_740670.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46b/rod-stryker-11759_avoiding_when-it-comes-to-desire-it-s-not-a-matte_740670.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46b/rod-stryker-11759_avoiding_when-it-comes-to-desire-it-s-not-a-matte_740670.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When it comes to desire, it's not a matter of avoiding desire, but rather learning to discern those desires…” — Rod Stryker", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Rod Stryker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stryker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When it comes to desire, it's...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stryker/when-it-comes-to-desire-it-s-not-a-matter-of-avoiding-desire-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stryker/when-it-comes-to-desire-it-s-not-a-matter-of-avoiding-desire-but/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```