Understanding and managing needs and wants: The emotionally intelligent mind can discern between things that they need versus things that would be “nice to have” that classify more aptly as wants. A need, particularly in the context of Abraham Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs” is the basic level stuff like safety, survival and sustenance. Once those things are met, then we can progress to other needs and of course, wants. A “want” is a big house, a nice car, a smartphone, etc. We do not need those things to survive, but rather we want them based on our desires or what we perceive to matter to society. Emotionally intelligent people know the difference between these two things, and always establish needs before fulfilling wants.
