In this great TED talk Tony Robbins dives into his best explanation for why we do the things that we do. You may have paused at some point in your life and thought to yourself, “Why am I doing this? What’s the point?” Mr. Robbins had this same pause and sought to figure out what he believes are the reasons behind our actions. Speaking on a larger level, once we reach adolescence we become aware of the concept of motivation and what it really means to us. You have physical motivations, for food, for shelter, for safety, for love, but there are also motivations that are less related to survival that guide our actions. By understanding the elements of our motivations and how to use them we can be better spouses, parents, coworkers, and stewards of our communities. Robbins says that fundamentally humans have 6 needs:
1) Certainty that we can be comfortable and safe,
2) Variety in life to keep us interested and engaged,
3) Significance and a way to feel important and unique,
4) Connection to people and love,
5) Contribution beyond yourself, to your community,
6) A target where you know your destination, you know how to get there, and you have the emotional motivation to follow through.
Using these 6 elements of human needs you can break apart your decision making process so you can decide what’s best for you in your job, how to find more fulfillment out of your actions, and how to take control of your emotional state when good and bad things happen.
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