The Root of All Human Suffering is Attachment to Unrealistic Expectations

Tame the “unrealistic mind”

Thomas Oppong
4 min readSep 6, 2022

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Photo: Alizade/Unsplash

Attachment is a prime source of all human suffering. Life is without disappointments. It’s natural. But when you consistently attach strong emotions to an outcome outside your control, you are setting yourself up for stress and burnout.

The word “attachment” can be applied to many human experiences, from romantic relationships to strong emotional bonds to family ties.

It is important to understand that attachment does not necessarily mean having an emotional bond with another person. It also does not mean being dependent on someone else for survival or well-being.

Instead, it means having a strong emotional connection with something — like a person, place, or thing — that you believe will bring you fulfilment, meaning and happiness. Don’t give anyone or anything that much power over your happiness.

Expectations” is a broad term that refers to anything or anyone we hold onto to make ourselves feel better or secure. If you believe that other people owe you something, you will be disappointed when they don’t deliver.

If you expect things to be done a certain way, you will be upset if they are done differently. If you expect people to be perfect, you…

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Thomas Oppong

Making the wisdom of great thinkers instantly accessible. As seen on Forbes, Inc. and Business Insider. For my popular essays, go here: https://thomasoppong.com