Sigmund Freud called it "the desire to be great."
Psychologist John Dewey called it "the desire to be important."
Whatever you want to call it, it likely lurks in the back of your mind somewhere, regardless of who you are.
Dewey even went on to call it "the deepest urge in human nature."
But, to put in the perspective of the here and now, the author has called it, simply, appreciation.
First of all, there is no easy, blanket answer across the board to describe what the desire to be important is. It comes from something deep down, as this is a spiritual blog.
However, if someone says they do not want to feel important, there is a good chance they are not telling the truth. It can be subconscious in nature, so they might not even be directly aware of it.
On the other hand, if you can bring this desire out of other people, it could improve your life. But, in doing this, the author is not suggesting something like just flattery, which can be superficial.
It can be brought out in healthy ways, even if they are hard to describe. This post is mainly to make people aware of this natural human desire.
So, what is this human desire, and how do we fulfill it in a healthy way?
The Desire To Be Great
Here are some real word examples, although simple, of feeling "great."
- The feeling that you would be missed if you did not perform a task (getting something for someone, giving them a ride, making a call for them, etc.)
- The idea of having what you do with your time feel like it is appreciated. e.g. housework, hobbies, career, family, etc.
- It might be more subtle, such as something as simple as giving a person a choice of what to do or asking for their opinion.
- Genuine enthusiasm in your tasks that comes from deep down, whatever they are.
Keep in mind, one of these by itself might or might not fulfill the desire. But you might be on the right path, depending on the person.
A logical question that might follow this is, "what if this desire is not met?" A previous post looked at some general examples.
People who don't feel important act out in different ways, depending on their personality. But you might notice the people in which this is the case.
Some attribute many basic societal ills to this need not being met, such as substance abuse, divorce, relationship problems, career problems or crime.
A SImple Answer
So, now for the little secret.
One way you can feel important is to learn about God's presence.
Simple, isn't it?
From a Biblical standpoint, here are some verses that pertain to self-worth, which could also be applicable to this. Those who realize they are important to God have already begun to fulfill this basic human desire. God said what he created was "good" until humans came along, when he said is was "very good." (Genesis 1:31)
You were made in the Image Of God and you are already "great."
If one could try to comprehend their worth to God they would open up many good possibilities in their lives.
So, while the need to feel important is essentially inherent in humans, there are ways to fulfill this need.
Do you feel important?
