It is in books, poems, paintings which often give us the confidence to take seriously feelings in ourselves that we might otherwise never have thought to acknowledge.
Alain De BottonRead
My theory is that many of the things that move us are things we long for but find hard to do.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the deep desires within us that often feel unattainable.
Alain De Botton suggests that many aspects of life that evoke strong emotions in us are tied to our aspirations and yearnings, particularly those that we perceive as difficult or challenging to achieve. This perspective highlights the intrinsic relationship between our desires and the emotional responses they elicit, serving as a reminder of the complexities of human longing and ambition.
Themes
LongingDesireEmotionAmbitionHuman Experience
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech to encourage personal growth.
More from Alain De Botton
All quotes βTaking architecture seriously therefore makes some singular and strenuous demands upon us...It means conceding that we are inconveniently vulnerable to the colour of our wallpaper and that our sense of purpose may be derailed by an unfortunate bedspread
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The more closely we analyze what we consider 'sexy,' the more clearly we will understand that eroticism is the feeling of excitement we experience at finding another human being who shares our values and our sense of the meaning of existence.
Alain De BottonRead
Good books put a finger on emotions that are deeply our own - but that we could never have described on our own.
Alain De BottonRead
The challenge of modern relationships: how to prove more interesting than the other's smartphone.
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It is the most ambitious and driven among us who are the most sorely in need of having our reckless hopes dampened through immersive dousings in the darkness which religions have explored. This is a particular priority for secular Americans, perhaps the most anxious and disappointed people on earth, for their nation infuses them with the most extreme hopes about what they may be able to achieve in their working lives and relationships.
Alain De BottonRead
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