Action reveals need

Needs are core human motivators.

They’re conditions necessary for life to thrive. Opportunities for improvement. Gaps between current conditions and desired outcomes.

And unfortunately, too many of us are disconnected from our needs.

Maybe because of cultural influences. Societal expectations overshadow our true desires. Or because of busyness and lifestyle. We are to overcommitted and distracted to leave time for inner exploration.

Another reason we’re disconnected from our needs is a lack of awareness. Either we haven’t been taught how to listen to ourselves, or we don’t view it as a skill in the first place.

Then there’s good old fashioned fear. Of judgment, rejection, failure and the like, which prevents us from expressing our needs authentically.

And don’t forget about past trauma, which creates emotional barriers that make identifying and addressing needs difficult.

But whatever combination of factors leads to this needs disconnection, one thing’s for sure. We feel unfulfilled. The conditions necessary for life to thrive are lacking, and if we don’t seize these opportunities for improvement, things won’t get better.

The good news is, we can uncover the gaps between our current conditions and desired outcomes. There is a simple formula that is going to sound so simple, you might think it’s stupid. But it really works.

Action reveals need.

The fastest and easiest and most accurate way to identify your essential physiological and psychological requirements for wellbeing, is to just start moving. Your mind, your body, your spirit, or some combination of the three.

I first learned this when I started my career as a writer. I was just out of college, working entry level jobs like tending bar, selling furniture and valet parking, and trying to make a name for myself as a creative professional.

Every day I would woke up early and went to the coffee shop in my neighborhood, where I’d spend time journaling. This morning appointment with myself was a game changer. It made me feel like an adult, integrated me into my community, created a sense of momentum for the day, and most importantly, helped me figure out how the hell I was feeling, and what the hell I needed.

Because when I first rolled out of bed, I wasn’t quite sure. Body, mind and spirit we’re awake yet. But some part of me knew intuitively, look, just get up, set off, and see how it unfolds. Your feelings and needs will be revealed.

It’s a version of the zen parable, start walking and the path illuminates itself.

The young monk is given a lantern by his master. He is tasked with stepping into the unknown to embarking on his journey. The boy is eager but confused, curious but scared, so he starts walking anyway. And along the way, he discovers a silent strength within himself, the light of his own intuition. And as he walks, he learns that the path he sought was never truly lost.

It always resided within him, waiting to be discovered through the simple act of starting.

Start walking and the path illuminates itself.

What if you approached your needs in that way? Might you become more connected with the conditions necessary for life to thrive, by simply taking action?