Wants - Needs - Desires

            Thanks to Steve Kistner, Eureka, Missouri MO., for this Teaching Moment.

We all live in a rapidly paced world where success is often defined by the “bigger, better, faster” aspects of life i.e., bigger house, faster car, better golf score, etc. Maybe by definition that is the “rat race” most of us profess to despise.  Did you know that you can control your level of involvement in it?  The control switches are your wants, needs and desires.

Needs

Abraham Maslow, a noted professor of Psychology, theorized that people have five basic needs.  In short, they are: shelter, food, security (which can include the security of employment, money, health, religion), love/belonging (friendship, family, work groups, clubs, religious groups), and respect (a feeling of self- esteem, valued for our thoughts and ideas). 

Wants

Wants help us to improve ourselves in one or more of the five basic needs categories: I want a better job; I want to get an “A” on the next history exam; I want to start exercising to improve my health, etc. However, wants without a plan are simply wishes.  In order to change “wants” into success stories you need to develop a plan that includes action steps and a timetable for completion.

Desire

Desire is the fuel that ignites your passion. This is the most powerful of the three control switches because it directly impacts the other two. Desire has the power to change imagination into reality, doubts into risk-taking, fear of change into motivation and roadblocks into minor setbacks. Your desire, your passion, is what excites you and prepares you to meet the day’s challenges. 

Suggestions for implementation:

1. Discuss with your family what you wrote down for your wants, needs, and desires.
2. Discuss any surprises you heard from other family members in the discussions.
3. How can you help each other succeed in their your efforts?

Questions for discussion:

1. Write down two examples of your “needs.” Be specific.
2. Write down one example of your “wants.” Include your action steps and timetable for completion.
3. Write down the one “desire.”  What propels you each day and gives you the energy to face the day enthusiastically?

Please visit goalsettingforstudents.com for more life skills ideas to help children succeed. 

Forward

Please forward this life skills idea to your friends.

      Accent On Success® is an organization dedicated to giving parents and teachers the tools

      they need to help children succeed in school and in life. Their first book, Goal Setting for   

      Students®, has won three national book awards.   

FREE  Reprints

We want to reach as many children as possible with these positive life skills ideas.  Please cut and paste them into your blog, newsletter, emails, magazine, egroups, Web site or newspaper.  A byline with our Web address is requested.

Suggest a Teaching Moment

Email Accent On Success® with successful life skills ideas you want to share with others.  You will receive credit for the idea.

Contact:    Accent On Success®

                St Louis, MO, 63104

                314-664-6110

                                   

                Website: goalsettingforstudents.com

                Blog -

Your Privacy

We hate spam and will protect your privacy.  We will never sell, trade or rent names from the Teaching Moments list.