We all have basic human needs that drive the choices we make in our lives. Whether we realize it or not, our behaviors are often dictated by the needs and values which are most important to us.
For example…What motivated you to get out of bed this morning?
Was it because you followed the same, reliable routine that you use each day?
Or maybe, because you wanted to go out and make a difference in the world?
Or because you knew it would be more exciting to get out of bed and face the unknown than to stay in bed all day?
Whatever your motivation was, it’s likely that it was primarily based on the needs you most wanted to fulfill.
It’s been estimated that we each make around 35,000 decisions every single day.
Some of these decisions might not even register on our radars, but they can still be hugely important. The truth is, our decisions determine the direction of our lives and help us work towards our goals. And it is our primary needs which impact our decisions. So what are they?…
According to Tony Robbins, we have six core human needs which we seek to fulfil. Here are these top 6 Human Needs:
Certainty: the need for stability, predictability & reliability
If certainty is one of your core needs, you need to feel secure and safe about the future. When you receive positive recognition, it may be accompanied by a need for certainty that the recognition is authentic and will continue. In order to live a life filled with certainty, your life has to stay the same – a nearly impossible expectation to fulfill. So, you artificially control your environment by changing your expectations or by avoiding new situations or people. This process provides you with assurance that your actions will either avoid pain or gain pleasure, which then fulfills the basic human need for certainty.
Uncertainty/Variety: the need for change and excitement
Though it’s important to understand the beauty of uncertainty, those who experience this as one of their top basic human needs can take it to an extreme. They engage in frequent job or relationship changes for the sake of variety, or take unnecessary risks to achieve the adrenaline jolt they crave. However, if uncertainty is one of your top 6 human needs, you will be unafraid of taking risks and will not avoid new situations or people.
Significance: the need to feel valued and important
If significance is among the top two of your 6 human needs, then part of meeting that need includes receiving recognition. This translates into a desire to be seen, heard and listened to – in short, you want to be noticed. You measure significance by what you believe makes you unique compared to everyone else around you. Recognition provides you with a sense of validation that makes you feel seen, special and/or needed. Recognition is a major driving force behind human behavior because it provides us with a measurement system to analyze and track our significance. Recognition is also an extremely important part of keeping up employee productivity.
Love and Connection: the need to feel nourish our relationships so we can feel connected and loved
Love and Connection: the need to feel nourish our relationships so we can feel connected and lovedIf connection/love is your top basic human need, you are constantly seeking out a close relationship with someone or something. You truly understand that love wakes you up to the gift of life. People need love, and this can lead to some incredibly fulfilling relationships – but it can also cause you to sacrifice self-care in order to take care of others or maintain a partnership.
Growth: the need to develop and improve
Those whose foremost core need is growth are always striving to be better and learn more. They are very good at their jobs, but tend to move on quickly as soon as they believe they’ve reached their full potential. Though their constant striving for betterment ensures they will never be bored, they can err on the side of perfectionism and neglect the rest and relaxation they need to keep stress levels manageable.
Contribution: the need to give and make a difference in the world in a positive way
The secret to living is giving, and those who experience contribution as one of their top 6 human needs know this better than anyone. If you have a need to contribute, you will likely make a big difference in your community. However, you can lose sight of the fact that giving begins at home and neglect those closest to you as you change the world.
Now that you know the six core human needs, which two do you think are your top 2? We all have two which dominate how we make decisions… so let’s find out what yours are!
Being aware of your needs will empower you with the ability to understand what motivates you and make better choices to actually fulfil your most important needs. Which is why we have created a Free guide to help you explore your own Core Human Needs in more detail
In our guide, we’ll explore these core human needs in more detail and help you determine which ones are most important to you. Once you know your most important needs, you can also determine some of your strengths and weakness and use this knowledge to make better decisions!
OTHER ARTICLES YOU MAY ENJOY
4 YOGA POSES TO HELP YOU SLEEP LIKE A BABY
How high (or low) is your self-confidence really?
Articles written by our internal Daily Guru writers, who are certified & qualified growth & development professionals.
