Wants and Needs

Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

​In a recent discussion with a friend, we were talking about doctors who treat patients by just giving out prescriptions and not treating underlying causes.  Many doctors do this because that is what patients want.  

This started me to think about how many areas of life we focus on what we want and ignore what we need.

Doctors give patients prescriptions to relieve their symptoms because that's what they want.  But, what patients need is for doctors to address the causes of their ailments and treat those.  

But, doctors are not the only ones.

Teachers give students A's because that's what they want.  But, students need to be challenged and taught to value lifelong learning.

Food manufacturers give customers food loaded with fat, salt, and sugar because that's what they want.  But, what we need is healthy real food.

Can we blame them for giving us what we want?  Only partially.  

So, you get what you need.  So what?  You are harming yourselves and others by ignoring what you need.  

Ask yourself what you really need and focus on that.