The Price of Wanting: How Desire Shapes Happiness, Fulfillment, and Who We Become with Eric Jorgenson

The One You Feed

Eric Zimmer, The One You Feed

Education, Self-improvement, Health & Fitness, Religion & Spirituality, Buddhism, Mental Health

4.6 • 2.5K Ratings

🗓️ 9 December 2025

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this episode, Eric Jorgensen discusses the price of wanting and how desire shapes happiness, fulfillment, and who we become. He explores the power of useful beliefs, agency, and a growth mindset. Eric also delves into authenticity versus attachment, the role of judgment, managing desires, and the influence of environment on habits. Drawing on thinkers like Naval Ravikant and Elon Musk, discover practical strategies and philosophical insights for living intentionally, fostering optimism, and building a fulfilling, empowered life. Help us make the podcast better—share your input in a short survey:: oneyoufeed.net/survey. Thank You! Exciting News!!!Coming in March 2026, my new book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠How a Little Becomes a Lot: The Art of Small Changes for a More Meaningful Life is now available for pre-orders!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Key Takeaways: Personal growth and mindset development Cultivation of positive habits and beliefs The parable of two wolves representing internal good and bad qualities The concept of “useful beliefs” and their role in achieving desired outcomes The importance of agency and a growth mindset in personal development The impact of internal narratives on self-perception and motivation The balance between authenticity and attachment in relationships The development of judgment and its significance in decision-making The challenge of managing desires and their effect on happiness Strategies for creating an environment that supports positive habits and reduces temptations For full show notes,⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!⁠ Connect with the show: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheOneYouFeedPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you enjoyed this conversation with Eric Jorgenson, check out these other episodes: Are Your Desires Really Yours? How to Recognize and Reclaim What You Truly Want with Luke Burgis How to Find Zest in Life with Dr. John Kaag By purchasing products and/or services from our sponsors, you are helping to support The One You Feed, and we greatly appreciate it. Thank you! This episode is sponsored by: ⁠⁠Aura Frames⁠⁠: For a limited time, save on the perfect gift by visiting ⁠⁠AuraFrames.com /FEED ⁠⁠to get $35 off Aura’s best-selling Carver Mat frames – named #1 by Wirecutter – by using promo code FEED at checkout. This deal is exclusive to listeners, and frames sell out fast, so order yours now to get it in time for the holidays! ⁠⁠Uncommon Goods ⁠⁠has something for everyone – you’ll find thousands of new gift ideas that you won’t find anywhere else, and you’ll be supporting artists and small, independent businesses. To get 15% off your next gift, go to ⁠⁠UNCOMMONGOODS.com/FEED⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠: Post your job for free at ⁠⁠⁠linkedin.com/oneyoufeed⁠⁠⁠. Terms and conditions apply. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	You don't need to be born into a certain situation or a certain level of sort of neurochemical happiness to become a happy person.
0:07.5	There are people who are.
0:08.6	But for the rest of us, like, there is always a change in that slope that you could make through deliberate sort of attempts and practices.
0:24.8	Welcome to the one you feed.
0:29.5	Throughout time, great thinkers have recognized the importance of the thoughts we have.
0:35.0	Quotes like, garbage in, garbage out, or you are what you think, ring true.
0:39.0	And yet, for many of us, our thoughts don't strengthen or empower us. We tend toward negativity, self-pity, jealousy, or fear. We see what we don't have instead
0:46.0	of what we do. We think things that hold us back and dampen our spirit. But it's not just about
0:52.0	thinking. Our actions matter. It takes conscious, consistent, and creative effort to make a life worth living.
0:59.0	This podcast is about how other people keep themselves moving in the right direction, how they feed their good wolf.
1:07.0	I had a moment a few years ago when I realized I was carrying around dozens of half-formed desires that were just draining me.
1:16.8	I should be in a band. I should be writing more. I should do this. Should, should.
1:22.8	There's a line in this conversation that hit the nail on the head for me.
1:26.9	Keep your desires few and carefully
1:29.6	chosen. My guest today is Eric Jorgensen, the curator of the Almanac of Naval Ravakant, and we spent
1:36.8	a good chunk of our conversation on this idea of desire as either your greatest ally or your
1:43.1	worst enemy. One of the best moments for me was when
1:46.2	Eric talked about understanding the price of a desire. And if you're not willing to pay that price,
1:52.7	you should let it go, not someday, but now. Because every desire we hold that we're not willing to
1:59.3	work towards is just stealing energy from what actually matters.
2:03.7	This isn't about lowering our ambitions.
2:06.4	It's about getting brutally honest about what we're committed to.
	...

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