What to do when you reek of desperation
By Elliot Chan, Opinions Editor
We all want something. We all have objectives and goals. Thatâs good. Thatâs the fuel that propels us forward in life. However, there are times when weâve been sitting idle or maybe even fallen behind. We end up thinking that good things will never happen, and that weâll never get back to where we were or achieve what we want. It could be money, romance, competition, or personal pursuitâwhen we put all our chips down on the table, we canât help feeling desperation creep up.
Our desperation is a response to our stress. Itâs useful in a life-or-death situation. When we are desperate for food, for example, we would go to incredible length to feast. Thereâs nothing stronger than the will to live. But when it comes to being desperate in a social interaction, such as a job interview or a first date, our undeniable hunger may be incredibly off-putting.
Nobody likes being around people who are desperate. Nobody wants to work with someone who is on edge about every task, or go out to dinner with someone who has an agenda. Most of us want to relax and not feel our heart beating out of our chest. Now, I understand that simply saying âDonât be desperateâ is not the solution. Itâs not a switch you can turn off and on. It goes deeper than that.
Desperation is rooted in fear. You fear that youâll be in debt forever. You fear that youâll be alone forever. You fear that all your hard work will be for nothing. To lose the smell of desperation on you, you need to wash the fear off yourself, and be reminded that what progress you are going to make will be gradual. Do people win lotteries? Sure. But you cannot bank on that. What you need to do is accept that youâll have to take baby steps towards your goals. Youâll feel less desperate if your tasks seem achievable to begin with.
Alternatively, you can just forget about it. So you are single, and worried that youâll be alone forever. Youâve gone on dates, but thereâs no magic and it just didnât click. Stop dating for a bit. Take a class. Go on a trip. Meet new people. Pivot away from the problem and work on something else for a bit. Build your confidence back up in something else and then dive back into dating after.
Nowadays, we are not faced with deadly situations. Our own fears are constructed inside our own brain, and thatâs where they fester. When you wonder why you are striking out, it could be because the people around you can smell your desperation. Get clean, relax, and know that youâll get many chances. But before you take another one, maybe take a break first.