NEED IT vs. Want it Gettting Rid of the Need Mindset

byFitzythird

162 followers

5 years ago

My goal on a daily basis is to plan things out enough that I can move needs to wants. Needs are pressure packed day destroyers where wants can become attainables, also known as goals. Take Some Pressure Off Yourself!

The term need is likely one of the most misused words in any language. If you are living a need-based existence, then you may want to re-set some priorities and better define the word need.

Think of how many times a day we are telling our brain what is needed. Without separating that thought from what might be a “want” or a “nice to have”, we are telling ourselves we need something throughout the day. This thought pattern brings us to a primal mind-set where certain needs meant survival. Internally, this creates an almost fight or flight response. Not an optimal mindset.

Examples would include something like, “I need to go shopping!” Now if you break this down, you may be deficit some milk and bread, but your survival does not depend on you shopping at that very moment. “I need to put a blog on my web-site!” Sure, you want to get some content up there and attract some viewers, but be careful of the word need. Why?

NEED = PRESSURE

Watch how you breathe when you state a need vs. stating something you would like to have or do.

I NEED A VACATION!

OR

I would like to plan a trip the islands this fall…

Move Needs to Wants (no really...do it)

Make 2 columns. Needs and Wants. Very quickly state your needs in list form and then see how many you can move over to the wants column. By moving even a few needs over, you can feel yourself relax. Breathing improves and those needs have less power.

Planning and Time Management

Let’s face it, if you’re reading this, and your Doctoral Thesis is due at 7am tomorrow, YOU NEED TO GET BUSY ON YOUR THESIS! I get it. But this situation was completely avoidable with the most basic planning. Waiting till the night before is something we have all done thus WE CREATED THE NEED STATE!

Please understand that we may never completely clear the needs column. If we have a bad habit that needs to be stopped, then break down the stopping process into manageable chunks. Again, part of having a sound plan and process.

It’s a lot more manageable to want something then it is to need it. When people need to be in a relationship for example, trying to find a good one is almost impossible! We become, well, NEEDY, and no one with any sense of stability is attracted to a needy person.

Detach and Find Freedom

To detach from a need does not mean you are giving up on a goal. It means you are empowering yourself and preparing properly for that goal. Remember, the need applies pressure. Detachment relieves the pressure. Give the need less power by putting it in the wants or nice to have column. Breathe and plan around the new nice to haves.

Start With What You Know

I think this process applies perfectly to us here at WA. We need a web-site, need to train, participate in the community, comment on sites…….WHOA!

• Plan it out
• Embrace the process but out of the need state.
• Want to improve every day
• It would be nice, yes great to go to Vegas! Put it in the column!

You will just sleep better with less in the need column. Life’s tough enough. Our basic needs of O2, H20, and food are never out of the need column and God knows there are those among us who struggle. I’m just offering a way to cheat it a little bit. That visual exercise of reevaluating your needs and forming wants into goals is just an easier way to get through a day. Now if I can only start following my own advice….