What Could We Do With 100% Desire?
Let's start obsessing over a sustainable future
I want to start by sharing that I’m writing this from the floor of a tiny cabin in the woods of Western Massachusetts (read on to learn more about what I’m doing here.) I’m looking out at the tall pine trees outside my floor-to-ceiling window and feel like I want to take it all in even more — like, on a molecular level.
The colors are so intensely beautiful: the range of green from the grass floor to the dark pine, the beige tree trunks and white/green larch, the skies that shift from grey to blue from the thunderstorm that just swept through. I want to sink even deeper into this moment, experience the colors even more intensely, but realize at the same time that I can’t.
I am fully here.
And how beautiful it is to be fully here — without filter. No social media (I logged out a couple of weeks ago for a needed summer break), no work or to-do lists, no one to chat with but my inner truth and the thoughts that occasionally surface. I’m not saying all those things (people, work, purpose) can’t also bring deep presence, but every now and then, I give myself the gift of emptiness.
*Pause*
Something profound has come to me this summer. It’s been a year since we left New York City for a slower pace in the Berkshires, and I can honestly feel my body beating to a new rhythm. With that, I’ve begun to question the rat race I took for granted (and craved) earlier, the go-go-go mentality that was my beating drum. It’s not that I don’t strive for success anymore, or that I don’t want to make a meaningful impact. It’s just that I don’t feel the need to be “in the right places” or have something happen by any measure of time.
I trust.
I trust my visions, I trust my abilities, and I trust my timeline.
It feels like stepping into a new power, a soft power, and in the coming months, I’m eagerly excited to explore even deeper what that soft power is — and what it brings. (Be sure I will cover it here.)
But what I wanted to write about today, something that has new room to breathe in this softer state of being, is desire. So let’s talk about desire.
What about desire?
You who’ve read my work for some time know that I’m a nerd when it comes to behavioral psychology and neuroscience. So it shouldn’t surprise you that one of the few people whose work I follow is Em on the Brain, a “pop-culture neuroscientist” and the founder of Mindcraft. While her work focuses on helping people step into their true power and realize their personal dreams, I can’t help but apply what she’s teaching to our climate challenge.
Because what about desire?
What is it about desire that feels both invigorating and almost dirty at the same time? You should have desire, but not too much, and let’s definitely be contained and keep that desire to yourself. You wouldn’t want to come off as foolish or overly obsessive, would you now?
But aaaah… the DESIRE! The urge, the want, the passion toward something you can’t let go of! What a beautiful thing it is to wake up in the morning and embody desire. Isn’t that what life is all about?
And what could we accomplish if we didn’t contain ourselves? What could be done with 100% desire?
Desire for a better world.
Desire for a reality where our lungs breathe healthy air and our nervous systems are calm and regulated.
Desire for new ideas and innovations that can unlock possibilities for symbiosis, health, and planetary wellbeing — all while driving profits and (circular) growth, allowing families the luxury of freedom and food on their tables.
Desire for a future in which we haven’t just survived, but we’re thriving!
The view from my cabin at Prospect Berkshires. Read on for more details.
What if we turn our desire into a healthy obsession?
What if we didn’t stop at deep down, despite “all that’s going on”, believing that a better world is possible? What if we activated 100% desire toward the goals we find inevitable? Because here’s the thing no one talks about: obsession isn’t bad, it rewires your brain for success.
This is what Em shared in a recent newsletter:
Society tells us that being obsessed is unhealthy, that we should be "balanced" and not care too deeply about our dreams.
But here's the truth no one talks about: Your brain doesn't change through casual effort - it rewires through obsession.
When you're truly obsessed with something in a healthy way, three powerful neurological processes happen:
First: Neuroplasticity Activation To reprogram your brain, you need to boost neuroplasticity - your brain's ability to rewire. And neuroplasticity happens when you repeat something with intensity and emotion. Your brain literally doesn't change through casual, half-hearted attempts.
Second: Dopamine Optimization Obsession boosts dopamine, which gives you sustained mental energy and motivation. This isn't the quick hit you get from social media - it's the deep, sustained neurochemical fuel that keeps you going when others give up.
Third: Attention Filtering Your brain filters reality based on what you're obsessed with. Your Reticular Activating System makes sure you notice the people, opportunities, and resources that match your vision. Your obsession literally becomes the lens through which you see the world.
This explains why some people seem to have "lucky breaks" while others struggle. The "lucky" ones aren't actually luckier—their brains are programmed to notice more opportunities because of their focused intensity.
Most people are afraid of being "too much" or caring "too deeply" about their dreams. But here's what I want you to consider: What if your obsession is exactly what's going to set you free?
Your dreams require you to be exactly that - too much by other people's standards.
The question isn't whether you should be obsessed. The question is: What deserves your obsession?
Two things that stood out to me:
The "lucky" ones aren't actually luckier—their brains are programmed to notice more opportunities because of their focused intensity.
and
The question isn't whether you should be obsessed. The question is: What deserves your obsession?
Let’s get nerdy.
Let’s get ridiculously excited about the world we can create next.
Let’s invigorate our cells and allow our curiosity to burst through the seams of our sweaters. Let’s get childishly excited and utterly obsessed with the reality we want to unlock for tomorrow. Let’s get super intentional in our desire to create change!
Something else I came across recently was an audio excerpt shared by Jenna Zoe on the Align Podcast. It was by a spiritual leader, I unfortunately have forgotten the name of, who said:
You want to? You can.
You don’t want to? You’ll be unable.
You want to share? You can.
You don’t want to share? You’ll be given the excuse not to.
Desire animates reality…
Most of us have a little bit of desire; of spiritual work; of success.
More than many, sure, but still… just a little bit.
Why? Because we only desire a little bit!
So the question is: What could we do with 100% desire?
Where are you?
If you could measure your desire, where does it measure today? How much do you allow yourself to get into flow with whatever is in front of you? How serious are you about your spiritual journey? How much do you (actually) tend to your inner leadership and nurturing of your unique gifts? Do you care enough about your desires to set boundaries and protect what’s sacred? Or do you give in to people pleasing and care too much about what others think?
And when it comes to the world we’re building here together, the new world full of possibilities for improvement and change, how much desire are you fueling into it?
Be honest with yourself. Do you have a lot of desire, or just a little bit? Then ask yourself:
What could you do with 100% desire?
Coming soon: Retreats!
I am so stoked to share that starting this fall and winter, I’ll be hosting in-person Climate Optimist Leadership retreats! The first one will be a 3-day retreat here in the Berkshires at the beautiful Prospects, and the second one will be a 5-day retreat at the sustainable resort Palo Verde in El Salvador in early March.
Are you looking to work on your inner leadership? Do you want to come together in an intimate setting with other climate leaders to discover your unique contribution to this work, and learn how we navigate an increasingly challenging world with optimism, empowerment, and hope?
Want to escape here with me for a transformative leadership retreat?
