Know What You Need
If we know what we need it’s much easier to obtain what we want. But it can be difficult to untangle all the beliefs and desires we have. Therefore, the dream builder seeks to always grow in knowledge, understanding, and insight.
Tony Robbins has spent years studying, observing, and counseling on motivation and achievement. I believe it is worthwhile to examine what he teaches about how to live a fulfilling life.
What Do We All Seek In Life
Everything we do in life is a result of a need (or set of needs) we are trying to meet. It would make life much easier if we could clearly identify our deepest needs.
Fulfillment, according to Tony Robbins, is really what we are trying to obtain. Tony says there are six things we need in order to have a sense of fulfillment. I believe this is one of the most important things in life to know, or at least ponder. Why? Because some have achieved their goals only to find an empty treasure chest. They expected to be fulfilled (happy) but they weren’t. Fulfillment is more than attaining your goals.
According to Tony Robbins, there are six things human being needs in order to have a sense of fulfillment:
1. Certainty
Having something that you can depend on brings comfort when times are trying. For example: faith in God, a higher power, a good friend, a supportive family, etc. If you lose your job, but have a strong belief that everything will be OK, then you’ll have much less stress about finding another job. Storms will come and having a certainty that is greater and stronger than the storms of life will allow us persevere.
2. Variety
Having a certain amount of uncertainty is good for growth. Trying a variety of activities, career changes, or travel. Getting out of our routine gives us a fresh perspective and can give us a creativity boost.
3. Significance
Something that gives you a sense of significance, such as education, skill, club membership, etc. Significance is the need for respect, or appreciation.
4. Connection/Love
We thrive on connection. That is why one of the worst forms of punishment is solitary confinement. We seek to have a committed relationship with a partner. We also need to connect with others. This could be participation in community gatherings, sports, club memberships, support groups, life groups, etc.
5. Growth
Growth is the sign of life. We need to keep growing in our relationships and talents. We can keep growing by taking classes in something we are interested in. We can teach what we know. We can take on roles of leadership.
6. Contribution
Find and contribute to a worthy cause. Give money, give time, give talent, etc.
More
According to Robbins, these needs can change priority as we progress through life. Another important note is that these needs can be met in negative ways. For example, becoming a member of a gang can give someone a feeling of significance and power. Therefore it’s important to ensure we are meeting these needs in a positive way.
How Dreams Meet Needs
How does following our dreams fit within this set of needs?
Before writing this article, I didn’t see how following your dreams could align with all six of these human needs. However, as I pondered the foundations of following your dreams, it was easy to see that calling (as well as purpose) can be a source of consistency in our life.
Here are some of the ways following your dreams align with the six needs Tony Robbins identifies for fulfillment:
1. Certainty - Being sensitive to our calling and creating a purpose for our lives can add to our sense of certainty in life. When we stray from our calling we tend to feel it calling us back.
2. Variety - Following our dreams will require us to take on new skills as well as take calculated risks with our creativity.
3. Significance - If we tie our dream to a desire for mastery, we will add to our sense of significance.
4. Connection/Love - If we create a dream that is a service to others, we will form significant meaningful connections with others.
5. Growth - Our dream will require personal growth to accomplish. Our dreams can provide us with a life long set of goals, and accomplishments, that will serve to transform us year after year.
6. Contribution - We can use our dreams to help others. And this could be providing our service for free in some cases or donating the profits from the abundance we create.
Finally
I’m sure there are many models for living a fulfilling life. By studying a few reliable models we can become more aware of our needs and how we choose to meet them.
The key takeaways are:
Become aware of our needs. It is a revelation to know meeting a need in one area won’t necessarily give us an overall sense of fulfillment.
Examine how, or if, you are meeting your needs in a positive way.
Come up with positive ways to meet your needs and experiment.
Keep it simple.
Following our dreams is not some unrealistic fantasy. It’s simply being human to our fullest. It is a way to express our creativity and exercise our potential. It’s a way to experience significance, as well as a way to serve others. So follow your dreams, grow, and express yourself.
To your success!
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