Understanding needs values purpose
Needs, values, and purpose guide what we do and how we show up in the world. Knowing what matters gives our choices focus and makes life easier to navigate. It lets us act in ways that reflect the person we want to be and the life we want to live. Here’s how needs, values, and purpose work together to guide our choices and actions.
Needs give us the foundation to survive, stay healthy, and thrive. Values shape how we want to act and who we want to be. Personal principles turn those values into concrete actions we can live by. Purpose gives us a sense of “why” by highlighting the meaningful and enjoyable activities we want to spend our time on. Do not confuse purpose and values with goals. Goals end once you reach them. Purpose and values keep going. Your goals should align with them so your efforts support what matters to you.
👉 Needs
Our needs are what we rely on to survive, be healthy, and thrive. They include physical and psychological needs. Some are basic, essential for survival and well-being, like air, food, autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Others support growth and flourishing, such as exercise, comfort, personal growth, and meaning.
Our basic needs are like water, nutrients, and sunlight for a plant. When they’re met, we can function, thrive, and focus on higher-level needs like growth and fulfillment, just as a plant reaches toward the light once its basic needs are satisfied.
Main related articles
A brief look at the foundations of physical and psychological health.
Motivation improves when three core psychological needs are met: autonomy (feeling free to make our own choices), competence (feeling capable and effective), and relatedness (feeling connected and valued).
🔗 What you think you want is not what you really want
Seeing beyond goals to your deeper needs and values.
👉 Personal values
Our personal values define how we want to act and the kind of person we want to be. They are our personal “how”, the qualities that guide our actions and way of being. For example, we might strive to be truthful and genuine (value: honesty) or approach life with originality and fresh ideas (value: creativity). Unlike basic needs, which are universal, values are the principles we choose to prioritize. What people value varies, shaped by personality, experience, and what matters most to them.
Values work like a compass that points us toward the life we want to live.
Main related articles
🔗 How to discover your personal values
Figure out who you want to be and how you want to show up.
🔗 Do your values support the life you want?
Test your values for a stronger life foundation.
Uncover the values you want to live by.
🔗 How do you want to be remembered?
Uncover the values you want to live by.
👉 Personal principles
Values are broad and abstract, which makes them hard to live by. Personal principles translate those values into specific ways of acting. They give us concrete guidelines that help us live our values in daily life. Values describe what matters. Principles show how to practice what matters. For example, the value authenticity might translate into the principle: I express my thoughts and feelings clearly and respectfully, even when it is uncomfortable.
Main related articles
🔗 Developing your personal principles
Close the gap between your values and your daily actions.
👉 Life purpose
Our life purpose is the set of activities that feel meaningful or enjoyable to us, or both. The meaningful ones show that our life matters, while the enjoyable ones add energy and joy. It’s our personal purpose, our “why.” It answers questions like “What important things do I want to spend my time on?” and “What activities bring me joy?” Our purpose usually includes several activities and shifts with our experiences, interests, and life circumstances.
Main related articles
🔗 How to work out what to do with your time
Discover your life purpose through reflection and experimentation.
🔗 How to live more in line with your life purpose
Regularly align your daily activities with your deeper purpose.
All related articles
See all articles in the “Understanding needs values purpose” category.
Browse articles tagged “Needs,” “Values,” or “Purpose.”
Search for something specific:
References
The happiness trap, by Dr Russ Harris
Man's Search For Meaning, by Viktor Frankl
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, by Mark Manson
Designing Your Life, by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans