Beware using the word 'need' (57)

Todays episode is a little different. It is an argument I wrote for my university studies, therefore more academic, formal format than usual for me. It felt great to have the research to back up what I have known for years and researched informally - language is powerful and the words we use make a difference to our well-being and leadership.

Episode Transcript

(00:10):
Good morning and welcome to the Aussie MindsetMentor.
Might be afternoon, who knows, or evening.
Wherever you are in the world, thanks forjoining me.
Today's going be a little bit different.
As you know, I'm really passionate aboutlanguage and the words we use.
So when I was given the opportunity inside oneof my studying subjects at uni, I put together

(00:33):
a speech on the word need.
So I thought, you know what?
This was from an academic point of view.
So I would like to share that with you today.
And here we go.
If I made the case that a certain four letterword could affect your well-being and
disempower you, Hands up if you would wannaknow what that word was.

(00:57):
Today, my intention is to persuade you to pauseand reflect before using the word need.
That's it.
N e e d, need.
I'll be discussing true needs versus wants, theimpact of misapplied need, and the impact on
leadership.

(01:17):
True needs versus wants.
Psychologists since the dawn of time haveagreed that a primary need for a human's
well-being and indeed survival is positivehuman relationships.
A need is defined as necessary or essential forour existence.
A want however, is merely a desire or wish.

(01:40):
So why have they been seemingly collapsed intothe same importance?
Profit.
Television, magazines, and social mediaplatforms make their money through advertising.
Our time equals their profit.
In January 2021, it was reported thatAustralians aged six to 64 spent an average of

(02:07):
one hour forty six minutes per day on socialmedia.
And this came in second to watching television.
Platforms such as Facebook and YouTube usesophisticated algorithms to identify our
interests, then suggest stories to keep ourattention, and then interrupt our attention

(02:30):
with products they predict we want.
In 2020, businesses spent 7,450,000,000.00 USdollars on digital marketing in Australia
alone.
By turning our wants into needs, their profitssoar.

(02:52):
Meanwhile, our true need, our need for qualityrelationships is living on the scraps of our
time.
Next, the impact of misapplied need.
The fulfilment of our needs determines thelevel of our overall well-being.
It therefore follows that if our wants are nowneeds and those needs are not met, our overall

(03:20):
well-being will suffer.
Mazur et al conducted a study across Europethat left no doubt of the link between the
influences of social media and obesity inchildren.
The well-being of a generation is at risk, buthow's this generation to know what real needs

(03:42):
are?
The word need is now so abused, it's becomingpart of the problem.
Lastly, the impact on leadership.
Banwar states, communication has long been atthe heart of leadership development, and the
tools of oral communication are words.

(04:06):
Barack Obama is renowned as a great speaker andleader.
Assessing four of his speeches and their 17,000words, Obama used the word need only 13 times,
only twice directed at his audience, and mostimportantly was always clear what the need was.

(04:30):
It was never assumed.
I beseech you as a leader.
Before using the word need, stop and askyourself, is it truly a need?
If yes, qualify the actual need.
Like, I need to go to town to get somesupplies.

(04:52):
By qualifying it or adding to get somesupplies, the impact is reduced to getting
supplies or not.
If it is not a true need, use words like wantto, going to, committed to, choose to, get to.

(05:15):
Language is powerful.
So now you know what the four letter word isthat can affect your happiness and impact your
voice in the world.
I beg you, before using the word need, pause,reflect, and rephrase.

(05:40):
Well, that's it for today.
Please help me spread some kindness.
Bye for now.