What is most desirable in itself is almost always limited to the short-term and almost always least important long-term. Consider, for example, how desirable it is to stay in a hot shower on a cold morning. How long will you remember the pleasure of spending an extra ten minutes in that shower? The whole purpose is for the other things you will complete in that day—things that contribute meaning that will last weeks, months, and even years.
What is most important is almost always least inherently desirable and most difficult. Its value must be promoted through identifying its connection with goals, values, and transcendent purpose in order to boost the motivation to complete it. Without this intentional promotion through linkage to what is more important but less obvious, you will default to short-term, pleasure-centric activities.
How whole-heartedly do you attack the things that matter most in the long-term? How boldly do you charge into what has the highest long-term actual value, and not just the most obvious short-term value? If you don’t feel like you are flowing when you are working on what you understand to be most important, you are suffering from a misalignment between your mind and your heart. Spending time and thought to analyze what you are doing and why you are doing it will help bring what you do and what you want into better alignment. Much more will be said about emotions in a later part of this book.