What is the truth or the lie that keeps you from getting what you want?​

​I was working on this story about​ relationships in one of my writing workshops and my professor recommended trying to show the emotional stakes of the characters. I was like, ok.

And then I googled “How to raise your character’s emotional stakes,” because I have like no fucking idea how to do that​ but I didn't want the whole rest of the class to know.

Then​ I read this thing that said ​"Figure out what your character desires and then ask ​'What is the truth or the lie that keeps them from getting what they want?​'"

I thought that was kind of profound, not just for characters, but for me in real life.