Reddit mentions of The Dalai Lama's Big Book of Happiness: How to Live in Freedom, Compassion, and Love

"Buddhism recognizes two different kinds of wanting: (1) tanha, the desire for pleasure objects; and (2) chanda, the desire for well-being. Tanha is based on ignorance, while chanda is based on wisdom and is thus part of the process of solving problems." -Ven. P. A. Payutto https://www.urbandharma.org/udharma2/becono2.html

"Western presentations of Buddhist teachings have often led to the misconception that because suffering arises out of desire, you shouldn’t desire anything. In fact, the Buddha spoke of two kinds of desire: desire that arises from ignorance and delusion, which is called tanha, craving, and desire that arises from wisdom and intelligence, which is called kusala-chanda, or dhamma-chanda, or most simply chanda. Chanda has a range of meanings, but in this case I’m using it to mean wise and intelligent desire and motivation, which the Buddha stressed as being absolutely fundamental to any progress on the eightfold path." -Ajahn Jayasaro https://www.lionsroar.com/just-do-it/


"With desire, some are positive and some are negative. Let’s say, to have attachment and desire to help others and have a useful and meaningful life, then that is good desire and good attachment. That desire and attachment is positive and constructive. Also, with self-confidence, some people are over self-confident. That means they have too much pride. That is negative and that is dangerous. Self-confidence with reason is positive. It is very essential to have a strong sense of self in order to develop will and determination. We may call that positive ego. The strong feeling of the sense of self which creates disregard for other’s rights, with no hesitation to harm others, that kind of ego is negative. So you see, within our own mind or our own thoughts, there are so many different varieties, we must clarify these differences and try to reduce the negative emotions and try to increase or cultivate our positive thoughts. That is the proper way." -Gyalten Sogdzin Rinpoche http://www.rinpoche.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=87&Itemid=90&lang=en



"Desire with attachment is negative. We have to develop desire with reason, for example, the desire for the well-being of another, or the desire to overcome one's own suffering. That's right. Desire without proper basis is very much related to attachment. That kind of desire must reduce." -The Dalai Lama https://www.amazon.com/Dalai-Lamas-Big-Book-Happiness/dp/1571747397