Understanding Needs and Wants

“I need an “A” on this exam.”  “I need a new job.” “I want a new car.” “I want to be rich.” “I need to eat.” 

Why is it we “need” things? This is neither an easy question to ask, nor one to quantify with an answer. It becomes relative very quickly because of our fundamental differences as individuals. Some people have no other needs than to survive from day-to-day. They fight hunger, search for a place to live, and brave the elements in a daily quest to live another day. Others who have plenty to eat, and live in comfortable homes, seek higher order needs – things beyond simple survival; seeking psychological comfort as a result of their actions.

The study of the human psyche and its subsequent needs is a complicated one. In point of fact, it is a discipline unto itself, and certainly a more in-depth topic than what we care to provide answers for in this publication. However, a quick overview of what needs are, and why they are important is in order to help frame the next section of this book.

Between 1943 and 1954 Abraham Maslow developed a psychological model to explain how needs define behavior. Today, we refer to that model as Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Every living person is motivated by needs. The model is depicted thusly:

Maslow believed that we must satisfy each need, starting at the foundational level (physiological - "survival" needs), in turn before we can progress upwards. Only when our most basic needs are met can we focus on higher-order needs. The hierarchy can be distilled into two broad categories of needs: deficiency (the lower level) and growth (higher order). In other words, you can not hope to be fulfilled, independent, person doing as you please, if you have nothing to eat, or are always in the process of just trying to survive.

When you can consistently operate above the bottom levels of the hierarchy, when all your needs are met (or are being met) and you want for nothing, you can then begin to set your sights on the achievement of goals. The challenge, therefore, is to recognize these basic building blocks of “needs” and focus your energies towards self-actualization.

But what is self-actualization? First, it is not easy, and perhaps impossible, to define in absolute terms. Maslow himself, in a moment of reflection to show how difficult it is to achieve this level, theorized that no more than 2% of the world’s population operate at this level. What he based that number on is pure speculation at this point. In an attempt to answer what “it” is by way of examples, let us take a look at the people he used to model this category: Thomas Jefferson, Frederick Douglas, Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein, and others. After analyzing these people he developed a list of shared qualities, what he found was this: 

They:

-         focused on reality and avoided the esoteric;

-         approached problems as opportunities not as obstacles;

-         looked at “the journey” being what was important as opposed to just the means by which to embark on the journey;

-         enjoyed both social settings and moments of self-introspection;

-         relied on their own judgment and experience, but certainly listened to the viewpoints of others as necessary;

-         were noncomformists;

-         open to the ideas of others instead of being parochial in their outlook;

-         they were compassionate and humane;

-         did not take even the most common or mundane thing for granted;

-         were “real” and had no pretense towards being someone else;

-         were creative;

-         had those moments that either distinguished themselves above their peers or a humbling experience that served as introspection to their real place in the universe which is to say they realized their insignificance.

Although these attributes make them seem perfect, they were far from it. Rather, they all had their human deficits. They managed, however, to overcome those shortcomings by finding alternative methods to get things accomplished.

Realizing Mazlow’s model was developed over sixty years ago, how can we relate it to today’s fast-paced and always changing information age (something Mazlow never experienced) and specifically to understanding how those types of needs can be satisfied? If we take the liberty of changing the definition of the hierarchy variable and think in terms of the types of “information” we require at each level it presents a somewhat different, and perhaps more useful, view.

For instance, at the physiological level, instead of thinking in terms of mere physiological needs (to eat, having a shelter to protect against the elements) what the individual needs is sufficient information to merely handle a given situation; to size it up and allow a person to deal with the “present.” Extraneous information, which cannot help, is almost immediately discarded.

At the safety level, in the information age, people may only concerned with data that can assist them in becoming more safe and secure. They choose to rely on themselves, not necessarily others, to provide for their individual safety needs. Often time this information is found in books and publications, seminars, or online.

The third level – belongingness – is about the “ability” to build successful relationships (what it takes – the steps and philosophies - to build a successful relationship). That can usually be found in books and psychological studies on the subject. Having access to this information allows for baseline determination by a person of the success or failure at meeting the needs of this level.

Ego drives us all, and the need to fulfill our egos is what drives us to satisfy the esteem level. The key information at this level is a empowering-type information that allows us to command a situation or achieve a certain level of success.

Self actualization is about finding fulfillment and reaching potential. Information germane to this level of need attainment is more intellectual in nature about a specific topic that leads one to become a kind of subject matter expert in a given area.

As efficacy for Maslow’s theory in understanding and fulfilling needs, one need only review how the theory was deliberately implemented (and the subsequent success that ensued) by former Indiana University swimming coach James “Doc” Counsilman to get the best out of his swimmers. During his 33-year tenure at the university, his teams compiled a 285-42 record including eighteen no-loss seasons. From 1967 – 1978, a span of twelve years, his teams were undefeated. During that stretch of time, they won 140 straight dual meets (to put this remarkable streak in perspective, let us compare it to other notable win streaks. The Oklahoma University football program owns the longest Division 1A streak at 47 games. The UCLA basketball program won 88 straight games).

Sixty of his swimmers went on to the Olympics including such notables as Mark Spitz, Gary Hall, and Jim Montgomery. His coaching style was very much based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. He knew all people needed love and affection and he ensured his program promoted a type of family atmosphere. He also knew everyone needed to feel a part of a group; to be identified with that collective and to share in the benefits that were subsequently derived. He felt that people needed an outlet to express their creativity and to be recognized. To wit, while he provided overall guidance and direction, he let team members train instinctively trusting in their judgment to work hard enough to achieve individual and team goals; if they did, the accolades would follow. Few can argue the level of success Counsilman achieved through the implementation of this philosophy.