# Episode 80 When Wanting It Too Much Is the Problem

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/running-to-myself-7040526/episode-80-when-wanting-it-too-much-is-the-problem
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/running-to-myself-7040526/episode-80-when-wanting-it-too-much-is-the-problem.md
Podcast: [Running to Myself](https://stenobird.com/podcast/running-to-myself-7040526)
Published: 2026-03-09T10:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.trishastanton.com/podcasts/running-to-myself/episodes/2149163232
Audio file: https://app.kajabi.com/podcasts/medias/2149163232.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/running-to-myself-7040526/episodes/episode-80-when-wanting-it-too-much-is-the-problem
Duration seconds: 679

## Resource

Episode Summary Why do we abandon goals we genuinely care about? It’s easy to assume the problem is lack of discipline, motivation, or willpower. But often, the real issue isn’t that we don’t want our goal badly enough, it’s that we’ve created overdesire for the very thing pulling us away from it. In this episode, I share the story of how training for and completing my first marathon shattered my identity as “someone who doesn’t follow through.” I couldn’t run a mile when I signed up but the experience changed what I believed about myself. From there, we explore a powerful (and often overlooked) form of self-sabotage: exaggerating the reward of short-term relief while minimizing the value of long-term intention. You’ll learn how overdesire works, what it sounds like in your own thinking, and how to interrupt it before it pulls you off course. If you’ve ever said: • “I deserve this.” • “Just this once.” • “I don’t want to miss out.” • “I’ll start again tomorrow.” This episode is for you. What We Cover     Why willpower alone isn’t enough • The difference between lack of desire and overdesire • How the brain amplifies short-term rewards • Why romanticizing the alternative makes goals harder • The identity shift that changes follow-through • Practical steps to interrupt self-sabotage in real time Actionable Steps to Interrupt Overdesire Notice the justification. What are you telling yourself in the moment? Strip the drama. Neutralize the thought and resize the reward. Zoom out. What result are you creating if you follow this urge? Reconnect to your original intention. Why did you choose this goal in the first place? Create a balanced, intentional thought. “I can have this anytime. I’m choosing not to right now because I want ___ more.” Key Reminder Overdesire fe…

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## Transcript

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