Needs and Desires

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Needs and Desires

I recently had a hard time deciding whether or not to buy a motorbike, something I have always wanted to own. One moment it felt like I should definitely go for it, and the very next moment, it seemed obsolete. Yes, we all have been there when it comes to choosing between our wishes and needs. Often we mistake desires for our needs and end up losing the sense/sight of our priorities. It is therefore important to understand the definition of each.

Needs are the desires that stimulate immediate action from us, which is usually involuntary.  About 40 to 60 percent of our daily activities are driven by needs, making it more of a habitual action. This is why we find it somewhat difficult when it comes to explaining about them. Needs are focused on the present or the instantaneous future and thus have a greater impact towards our wellbeing. Have you ever wondered how a basic everyday chore such as wearing neat clothes influences our mood? You might have experienced how horribly your day might have ended just because you couldn’t start your day right with your favourite coffee. It may not seem like it but oftentimes your happiness actually lies in a mere cup of coffee. Your coffee is a need, and you meet your needs subconsciously every morning by preparing yourself one. Somehow if you fail to meet your needs, you remain somber.

Desires, on the other hand, are the things we wish were available to us so as to make us happier. Desires seldom induce us to act because they are erratic and keep changing with time. We normally wish for things that we do not have and soak ourselves in the thought of acquiring them, so much so that we begin to regard them as our need. We don’t realize that, the high on desire is constantly alluring us towards a superficial future and is not letting us to remain in peace with our present. This is why when we give too much importance to our desires, we can hardly put in any effort to achieve them.

We should perceive desires through the fulfilment of our needs. This ensures we have the available resources at hand to make a significant contribution towards achieving our dreams. Let me relate to my case of buying a motorbike again. I have failed the driver’s license examinations twice, which is in fact, the foremost thing one should have before hitting the highways. What I need to do is to pass the driving license exams first, but my desire is so strong that I am willing to buy a motorbike regardless of the consequences, which include legal jeopardy and could even mean physical endangerment of self and others on the road. In fact, to prioritize desires over needs is to ditch real happiness at hand to an imagined happiness in the future.

The real happiness for me lies in getting that license with my name.
Our desires are ever increasing and we might never be able to stop wishing for things because desires give us reason to live and work for. We, therefore, need to dream big, big enough that it motivates us to push harder every day. Having said that, we should never forget to differentiate between desires and needs and always step back and think hard when desires try to get the better of us, which they generally do. When we are lost in tomorrow’s thoughts, we should not forget today’s duties and responsibilities. As an African proverb suggests, ‘If you are to move the mountains tomorrow, you must start by lifting the stones today.’

 

I hope all of us are safe and sound out there. I hope you all have a great day ahead J Live, Love, Laugh and share infinite love <3

 


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