Next up in Mindset Mondays, Adam Smith - from A-Game Consultancy and Hospitality Wellness - outlines the six needs we should look to fulfil to achieve satisfaction in our lives.
There are six human needs that play a huge part in our day-to-day lives. These needs will change and intertwine from time to time and it’s important to ensure they are balanced to avoid discontent in your life and create a level of satisfaction.
Certainty: We all want certainty and this starts with very basic things: shelter, food, clothing, health and money. In hospitality more often than not, the main desired certainty is to receive pay on time and the hours needed to pay the bills. In many other occupations the certainty is much higher – the work is repetitive, the hours are the same and the pay is more formalised. But hospitality has variation – in other words, uncertainty.
Uncertainty: If every day at work was the same, with the same customers at the exact same time, you might become bored. We all crave uncertainty and variety but more often than not, it must be on our own terms. We say we love surprises but really that needs to be qualified: we love the surprises we want. For example, a pay rise is a great surprise, losing your job is not.
Love/connection: Most people settle for connection because love is too scary and can cause you pain. This is why we jump from relationship to relationship and when things start to get serious this can create what’s termed a ‘scarcity mindset’. We sometimes stay in jobs too long because we love our co-workers but have fallen out of love with the venue or the owners. This is also why you will have regulars each day, because they feel love and connection upon entering your premises.
Growth: Progress equals happiness. If we’re not growing, we’re dying. It’s important to grow each day to be 1% better than yesterday and this applies to your careers/relationships/your body and much more.
Contribution: The secret to living is giving and if you feel like you aren’t contributing to something, it can cause you pain. You don’t have to walk around making grand gestures to strangers all day, it can start with your colleagues and in positively contributing to their lives, you fulfil your own human need.
Significance: This is why people buy stupid stuff that they don’t need or can’t afford to impress people they may not even like. It’s why some people get tattoos, piercings, expensive watches or fancy cars. If your manager is screaming at you every day due to some internal pain they’re suffering in their life - shouting at you makes them feel more significant. This also applies when a guest may be obnoxious and rude with you, it comes down to significance so lead with empathy and understanding and it will give you a greater sense of inner peace.