Have you ever desired something so strongly, that you went to extremes to get it?

In other words… have you ever wanted or desired something so strongly that you did everything in your power and beyond to get it whether it was a person, thing, status, position, etc. and ultimately, no matter what you did, the object of your desire was beyond your reach? And only after you gave up the dream of having it, and walked away, found that it became available to you? Did you still want it? Did you take it? If you did, was it still as desireable of an object once you had it?