Why we crave what we can’t have: The Psychology of Desire.

By Mussawar ,,

.

Have you ever stopped to consider how your heart reaches out for something the instant it's beyond its grasp? It might have been a dream job, a lost love, or something as innocuous as a forbidden pleasure squashed in the face of a diet. This subtle pain — the craving for the impossible — is an ostensibly human impulse. But what is driving this craving? Why should the unknown beckon us more loudly than what is already within our grasp?

Some of the reasons are that we are curious creatures. The unknown fascinates us. The things we don't know tend to sound more exciting than the things we do. Our minds start spinning stories: "If only I had that, maybe life would be better," or "Maybe the thing I need I have yet to experience." Even the fact that we don't know creates part of the allure, and we imagine something that may be more fantasy than reality.

We also tend to place greater value on things that are scarce or difficult to obtain. This is true in many areas of life. Common things often go unnoticed, while rare ones shine brighter. Tell a child they can’t have a certain toy, and suddenly it becomes the only thing they want. As adults, we’re not so different. The moment something feels out of reach, it becomes more desirable, almost magical in our eyes.