Could Naval's concept of 'desirelessness' lead to a decrease in motivation?

Hi, that's a spot-on question and a core point of confusion for many people when first encountering Naval's ideas. It feels like: "If I stop wanting anything, won't I just become a couch potato, doing nothing all day?"

This actually stems from a slight misunderstanding of the type of "desire" Naval is talking about. Let me explain using a more everyday analogy.

The Key: Naval Opposes Not "Goals," But the Kind of Suffocating "Attachment"

Imagine you're driving to a faraway place on a trip.

• Goal/Ambition: I want to get to Beijing. This is a clear direction; it tells you where to head and which highways to take.
• Desire (in Naval's critical sense): "I must get to Beijing by 8 PM tonight, otherwise this whole trip is ruined! I'm such a failure!"

See the difference? Naval encourages us to have the first kind – the "goal" – but urges caution against the second kind – the "desire."

This "desire" is essentially a form of "self-imposed hostage-taking." It's like you've signed a contract with yourself: "If I don't get X, I don't deserve happiness." This is the root of pain and anxiety. When driven by this desire, you're in a state that is:

• Anxious: "Will there be traffic? Will the car break down? Can I make it on time?" You can't enjoy the journey at all because your happiness is chained to the outcome of "arriving on time."
• Lacking: Until you reach the destination, your inner state is constantly one of "not good enough," "still lacking."
• Fragile: If you do hit traffic and arrive late, your emotions might completely crumble.

Where Does Motivation Come From Then? From "Push" to "Pull"

If the "desire" described above is a force that pushes you forward, laden with anxiety and suffering; then what Naval advocates for is a force that pulls you forward. This stems from within and feels calm yet powerful.

This "pull" primarily comes from the following sources:

1. Curiosity

   • "What would happen if I actually built this product?"
   • "This field of knowledge is fascinating; I want to keep learning to see what I discover."
   • It's not "I must become an expert," but "exploring itself is fun." You're not enduring the process for a result; you're enjoying the process itself.

2. The Joy of Building

   • Like a Lego enthusiast who enjoys the process of snapping bricks together, not just taking a picture of the finished castle.
   • A programmer relishes solving a complex bug; a writer savors the feeling of words flowing. The drive comes from the act of creating itself, not from the fame or fortune the creation might bring.

3. A Sense of Mission

   • You have an overarching aim, like "using technology to make people's lives easier" or "doing things that bring joy to those around me."
   • This mission is like a lighthouse in the distance that pulls you, not a whip at your back that drives you. Even if progress is slow today, you don't feel like the sky is falling because you know you're still on the right path.

Summarizing the Difference

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So, back to your question: Could Naval's "eliminating desire" lead to a lack of motivation?

The answer: No. It simply involves shifting the source of your motivation.

It's like upgrading from a noisy, inefficient, smoke-belching old diesel engine to a quiet, high-efficiency, clean electric motor.

You're still moving forward – possibly even further, longer, and with more joy. You're no longer acting from fear and scarcity, but creating out of passion and curiosity. This is a higher-level, more sustainable form of motivation.

So, confidently let go of the painful "desire." You'll discover a vaster, more serene, and far more empowering world.