The 6 Human Needs - Pt 1 Certainty

certainty

noun cer·tain·ty \ˈsər-tən-tē\

Websters definition:

: the state of being or feeling certain about something

: something that is certain : a fact about which there is no doubt

Tony Robbins definition:

: assurance you can avoid pain and gain pleasure

Fitting I should say as today is tax day for 2016.

Hopefully though, most of us have much more certainty in our life than JUST death and taxes!

Let me start by sharing a brief story of my own need for certainty and how giving that up changed the course of my life.

I was in my early 20's. A single mom, working at a large mutual fund company. The pay was decent, the benefits were awesome but the inefficiency of the department I worked for drove me absolutely crazy. I was a peon in the organization so when I tried to talk to management and explain how our processes could be improved, my voice was but a mouse squeaking in the corner. Despite my frustration of wanting to do a better job for the company and being stuck in a scene from "Office Space" I stayed for over 2 years. I wanted the certainty of a steady paycheck and the benefits the job offered.

Then one day my frustration boiled over. I left for lunch upset and distracted. I ended up rear ending another driver because I was too busy venting to pay attention to the road ahead. Luckily nobody got hurt...but it was my wake up call. Certainty all of a sudden became less important to me than taking care of myself emotionally. I quit the job and started singing in a band. This moment lead me into 20 years of being employed in the entertainment/special event industry as a successful entrepreneur. Giving up that paycheck and the "benefits" that came with it was one of the best things I ever did.

See according to Human Needs Psychology, each of us have innate human needs that drive us. Which of these needs we focus on more intently determines our emotions, behavior, interactions with others and our perception of the world around us. There are many ways that we can meet these needs.

To use my example, initially I met my need for certainty by sticking with a job I hated in order to have a steady income. By choosing to deal with the uncertainty of starting my own company and the often financial ups and downs that come with that, I gave myself the certainty of knowing that I would be in control of my own schedule, work environment and ultimate success or failure.

As you can see, we can meet our need for certainty in various ways. Some of them healthy (physically or emotionally) others aren't always good for us in the long run. This is true of all the human needs. So the challenge becomes understanding the amount of certainty we need in our lives, where we need that certainty and finding healthy ways to meet that need.

Take a moment to ask yourself...

How do I meet my need for certainty?

Do I invest the amount of time and energy in to my relationships that make me certain they will be successful? Am I unconsciously holding someone at arms length who wants to get closer so that I'm certain I won't get hurt?

Am I being smart with my money and saving for an emergency fund or retirement? Am I pinching pennies so tightly that I don't ever take time to enjoy life?

What other areas of your life do you strive for certainty? Do you do it in ways that are good for you? Do they serve you well? Or do you need to think about maybe taking some risks or loosening your belt a little to enjoy life in other ways? How is your need for certainty driving your actions, your emotions? Are you happy with how you are handling this need or is it time to make some changes?

If you have thoughts or comments you'd like to share about how your need for certainty plays a role in your life, please email me or comment on my Facebook page if you'd like feedback from others who may be sharing your same experience. I'd love to hear from you!

If you are curious to find out how the 6 Human Needs rank for you. I encourage you to take this free human needs assessment (click here). I look forward to sharing your personalized results with you so that you too can begin your journey towards the Vision, Purpose and Power in your life!