A key concept here is identifying with a desire. You have some desires you don't identify with: you would be glad for them to be taken from you (eg. smoking).

A key concept here is identifying with a desire. You have some desires you don't identify with: you would be glad for them to be taken from you (eg. smoking). You have other desires you identify with: you would not want them to be taken from you. For example, you not only want your children to be healthy, you would be horrified at the notion of losing that concern. It is part of your identity, and losing it is like a part of you dieing. Hence the Budda teaches to see everything as anatta or "not self": nothing is worth forming an identity around.