Why do you do the things you do? Some of us value love over money. Some of us want to travel everywhere and some of us are happy to be home all day. Some of us want a big corporate title, and some of us would work for free if it meant we got to do what we love!

Ever wonder what drives and intensifies your emotions, actions, quality of life and, ultimately, your destiny? In my training with the Training School of Tony Robbins/Robbins-Madanes we focused on the idea that the “majority of dysfunctional behaviors stem from our inability to consistently meet our core need and that your needs aren’t just behind the bad decisions you make – it’s also behind all of the great things you accomplish…understanding your own needs and psychology can not only help you avoid toxic behaviors and habits but can also help you achieve your goals”. Many of these questions can be explained by learning about the 6 human needs.

 SO…WHAT ARE THE 6 HUMAN NEEDS?

 The 6 Human Needs are:

1. Certainty: assurance you can avoid pain and gain pleasure
2. Uncertainty/Variety: the need for the unknown, change, new stimuli
3. Significance: feeling unique, important, special or needed
4. Connection/Love: a strong feeling of closeness or union with someone or something
5. Growth: an expansion of capacity, capability or understanding
6. Contribution: a sense of service and focus on helping, giving to and supporting others

Everyone ranks these human needs differently, and the way they are ranked explainwhy you are the way you are as a person. The top four needs in the list above shape our personality, while the last two (growth and contribution) shape our spiritual needs. People’s needs can be met in a variety of ways; we seek fulfillment through our relationships, careers, personal interests and more. Here’s more on the basic human needs and what they mean.

For example, when it comes to “Certainty” – if this is one of your core needs, you need to feel safe and secure about your future. To feel and live a filled life you need certainty, your life has to stay the same – a nearly impossible expectation to fulfill. So, you try to control your environment bychanging 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.

How to tell if certainty is one of your core needs: You are trustworthy and always do what you say you’ll do. You enjoy planning, thrive on a schedule and are very organized. You’re hesitant to take risks and have new experiences. You may fall into addictive or obsessive behaviors.

How to fulfill a need for certainty: Find activities that you enjoy, but that also push you slightly out of your comfort zone. Incorporate healthy and empowering routines into your life. Give back to others to promote growth and contribution in a consistent way.

Many of your behaviors are based on which of your needs are – or are not – being met. Depending on which of the basic human needs are foremost in your personality, you could be spending a lot of time consciously or subconsciously meeting one or two of them. And if you don’t succeed, it could negatively impact your overall sense of well-being.

Knowing which of your 6 human needs is your primary driver and how this affects your ability to connect with others and develop healthy relationships is crucial to your understanding of what fuels you. It can also help you better understand and manage triggers and be in charge of your own emotions.

By better understanding which of the basic human needs is your driving force, you can set goals for yourself and implement positive behaviors to help you achieve those goals. Understanding these needs, and which ones you want to meet in any given moment, can help you embrace the power of growth and create new patterns that lead to lasting fulfillment.

Sending you positive thoughts for more clarity, confidence, and certainty.

Stacey.

P.S. If you want to learn more about the 6 human needs, which could be your primary driver, and increase your understanding of what fuels or triggers you, schedule a complimentary Clarity Session.