I am on a quest to learn more, where does that desire come from and why does it drive me. I often wonder why I write these blogs. I found it was time to ask once again a question of myself. So, time to Google a little. My knowledge base is not near deep enough so I will count on someone with far more credentials Anthony G. Payne, M.A., N.M.D., Ph.D., M.D. (honorary). He wrote there are 15 core desires and here they are not in any specific order:

  1. Curiosity – desire to learn
  2. Food – desire to eat
  3. Honor – (morality) desire to behave in accordance with code of conduct
  4. Rejection – fear of social rejection
  5. Sex – desire for sexual behavior and fantasies
  6. Physical exercise – desire for physical activity
  7. Order – desired amount of organization in daily life  .
  8. Independence – desire to make own decisions
  9. Vengeance – desire to retaliate when offended
  10. Social Contact – desire to be in the company of others
  11. Family – desire to spend time with own family
  12. Social Prestige – desire for prestige and positive attention
  13. Aversive Sensations – aversion to pain and anxiety
  14. Citizenship – desire for public service and social justice
  15. Power – desire to influence people

Dr. Anthony G. Payne states most of these desires can be placed in three basic categories:

  • Acquisition
    • Curiosity
    • Food
    • Honor
    • Independence
  • Preservation
    • Physical Exercise
    • Order
    • Vengeance
    • Social Prestige
    • Aversive Sensations
  • Perpetuation
    • Citizenship
    • Power

For me to see all the different areas of desire pulling at me each day, I can better understand how we get off track. I am glad for desire and want a deeper understanding, my curiosity (acquisition) seems to be strong for more information. I hope as I become more aware of the facts I can develop better habits and actions moving me in the continued forward progress I desire.

What do you see in the list which could be driving you to move forward?

Do you see shifts from one area to the other such as food, exercise or citizenship from time to time?

Thank you for joining me today, we will dive deeper tomorrow looking for ways to answer the why we do things.