Want & Need

We were fortunate as children to have two sets of Grandparents. Each set of Grandparents were noticeably different although as children we hardly noticed the stark-worldly-differences that would, later in life, be readily apparent. One set of Grandparents were poor and the other set were well-off. The material value of each set was, in the eyes of us children, never more apparent than at Christmas. The less fortunate set of Grandparents would always give us what we wanted, toys. These toys were never expensive but we didn't care, because as children what the toy represented was all that mattered. The well-off set of Grandparents would ALWAYS give us clothes. Not the trendy clothes we might have tempered the insensitive gift with, but we got basic stuff like underwear, socks, shirts and pants. These gifts were not what we wanted, they were the gifts that we absolutely needed. I can't prove this, but I'll bet that my well-off set of Grandparents spent time with my parents asking what we needed and very little time discussing what we wanted. Because what we wanted was not likely to make a lasting impact on our daily lives whereas what we needed had the potential to make a difference!

When you are dealing with people in business and in life regarding their wants and needs, you must always provide recommendations based on the level of need and not the shiny-new-toy they think they want. While this is almost always the path that will be the toughest to take, it will surely prove to be the wisest choice. You must first start with discovering the difference between the want and the need and that discovery more often that not comes through close observation and asking the right questions. Someone may want you to prepare a presentation for them when what they really need is for you to show them how. You may want someone to do something for you when what you really you need is help learning how to do it for yourself. Socrates said; "What we need to learn to do we learn by doing."  You must be willing to give the instructions and help based on needs and you must be willing to accept the help based on needs and not give or get that which is wanted.