The Idealization Trap

We all have moments in life where we idealize something.

Money. Power. Freedom. Beauty. Prestige. A person. A version of life we believe will finally make us feel complete.

For these moments, here is something important to remember:

Idealize money, and you’ll never have enough of it.
Idealize power, and you’ll always be in need of control.
Idealize freedom, and you’ll find yourself constantly running away.
Idealize beauty, and, deep inside, you’ll never feel beautiful.
Idealize intellect, and you’ll be afraid of being perceived as “stupid.”
Idealize positivity, and you’ll always judge, always label, always avoid what’s not “positive.”
Idealize the past or the future, and you’ll never quite live in the present.
Idealize someone, and you’ll never truly know the person.
Idealize, and you will always be disappointed.

Because when you idealize, you make something greater in your mind than it really is. You stop seeing it clearly. You turn it into a fantasy, a savior, a symbol, a missing piece.

And when that thing eventually reveals itself to be less than what you imagined, disappointment follows.

So the next time you find yourself idealizing, glorifying, romanticizing, or glamorizing something, remember this:

It is a bottomless pit.

There is nothing wrong with wanting more. The problem begins when you make any of what you want the condition for your wholeness.

Pursue what you want in life, but pursue it from abundance, not scarcity. From wholeness, not lack.

And from that place, desire becomes clean.
It becomes direction, not worship.

Chief Editor

Tal Gur is an impact-driven creator at heart. After trading his daily grind for a life of his own design, he spent a decade pursuing 100 life goals around the globe. Tal's journey and recent book, The Art of Fully Living, inspired him to found Elevate Society.