Nobody "needs" anything

This is an extended and revised excerpt from my book.

I have talked about my understanding and definition of the concept of "want" but to develop a more complete comprehension and to implement it in your life more easily, it is also important to realize that you never "need" anything. This directly relates to the decision making process, in which you identify what you "want", what your options are, and what the potential consequences are.

If we really "needed" to obey the laws, then there would not be any criminals. If we "needed" to breathe, then there wouldn’t be people suffocating, hanging, or drowning themselves. We choose to eat and drink because we "want" to live (or at least because we either "want" to taste delicious foods and beverages or because we don't "want" to feel hungry and/or thirsty). We meet the deadlines at school and work because we prefer that outcome. The simple truth is that there are decisions we could make and they each have consequences. When we know what we "want" and we think about the potential consequences, we would then be able to intentionally choose what is the most suitable for us, especially in the particular situation; we would then be able to get the things out of life that make us fulfilled.