"Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die." (1 Corinthians 15:35)
Okay, so admittedly, Paul is shouting down his dogged detractors. Two verses prior does he say this: "Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame."
But in this case, as I am admittedly taking this a bit out of context, it's not about shame. With reference to "that thing you want", it's not about anything. It's about immolating it on the altar before God. Anything we desire. From that awesome set of flatware, to the person we're crushing on, however hard. To any of a thousand other things we think will make us happy. It's about letting it die.
"Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny Himself, and take up His cross, and follow me." (Matthew 16:24)
This is part of "the knowledge of God". Understanding that He knows and loves us better than we do ourselves. Boiled down to practicality, think of it this way. Jesus asks us to deny ourselves. Elsewhere, in Luke's Gospel, it's emended with "daily". So, something you do daily. You have a list of wants and needs. I feel I should pay my electricity today. Okay, maybe not today but soon. But Jesus says to deny myself. Just how far down does this go? I need to see where I'm going, thank you very much. With reference to what I think will complete me or add anything to my life, I think Jesus is saying to let God choose for me.
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)
When I wait and waive and otherwise winnow my wants and desires into a category that has been boiled down to essentials--and then build up from there, I feel I'm open to that better thing God was holding for me and that I was holding out for. If I need a new pair of fancy socks and think they'll somehow add (yes), I wait. I give it to God and if the desire crops up in the ensuing days, I'll go for it. Turns out it was God showing me some new socks, all along. If you let the desire die, God will either revitalize and resurrect it with His staying power. Or else let it stay dead as something that was meant to be all along. A win/win situation all around.