A young man once asked an old monk, “Why do I never feel satisfied, no matter what I achieve. I always seem to want something more.” The monk smiled and said, "The man who walks dreams of a bicycle. The man with a bicycle dreams of a car. The man with a car dreams of a mansion, and the man with a mansion dreams of a life without stress."
The monk continued, "Have you noticed the mind always says the same thing, just one more thing, then I'll be happy?" The monk picked up a small stone from the ground. "Most people think their suffering comes from not having enough, but often the suffering comes from carrying this stone."
"What stone?" the young man asked.
The monk replied, "The stone of endless wanting." The monk then pointed to a lotus growing from the mud. "That flower grows from mud, yet it does not complain about the mud. It simply blooms." Then the monk looked at the young man and said, "Peace does not come from getting everything you want. Peace comes when you stop arguing with what you already have." The young man's eyes softened. "So, what should I do?"
The monk smiled gently. "Guard your mind. Watch every thought that says, 'I need more,' 'I will be happy later,' 'I am not enough.' Those thoughts are stones on your path. Remove them one by one." "The life you are wishing for tomorrow is a life someone else is praying for today. Be grateful. Be present, and remember, your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own unguarded mind, but a peaceful mind can turn every obstacle into a step toward Enlightenment."