--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are driven by five genetic needs…" description: "\"We are driven by five genetic needs: survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun.\" — William Glasser" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/635/william-glasser-10297_belonging_we-are-driven-by-five-genetic-needs-surv_1093379.jpg" --- # We are driven by five genetic needs: survival, love and… ![“We are driven by five genetic needs: survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun.” quote by William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/635/william-glasser-10297_belonging_we-are-driven-by-five-genetic-needs-surv_1093379.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/635/william-glasser-10297_belonging_we-are-driven-by-five-genetic-needs-surv_1093379.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/635/william-glasser-10297_belonging_we-are-driven-by-five-genetic-needs-surv_1093379.jpg) > “We are driven by five genetic needs: survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun.” [William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human motivation stems from five basic needs: survival, love/belonging, power, freedom, fun. **In simple terms:** Five core needs drive behavior. Key Takeaway Recognize and fulfill these needs. Themes motivation psychology human needs Mood analytical motivational Type educational psychological When to use this quote - therapy - education - leadership Key Concepts self‑determination theory well‑being social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Which need is most unmet for you? - How can you balance power and freedom? A Different Perspective Needs may conflict, causing tension. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belonging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belonging/) [Biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/) [Driven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driven/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival/) ## Related quotes > [The survival of love depends on the management of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-kiev/the-survival-of-love-depends-on-the-management-of-change/) [Ari Kiev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-kiev/) > [Two different things. Work is survival, and love sustains you. You have work anytime. But love? Not always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriana-trigiani/two-different-things-work-is-survival-and-love-sustains-you-you-have/) [Adriana Trigiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriana-trigiani/) > [“Sometimes even now I entertain the hope that Love lives in the world independently of us, but when I am most courageous, I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-m-wilson/sometimes-even-now-i-entertain-the-hope-that-love-lives-in-the-world/) [Catherine M. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-m-wilson/) > [“Money is key to survival. Love is key to happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadair-desmar/money-is-key-to-survival-love-is-key-to-happiness/) [Nadair Desmar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadair-desmar/) > [Unlike the weak, the strong neither give up nor are driven by pain into rash or stupid behavior. They don't like pain any more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/unlike-the-weak-the-strong-neither-give-up-nor-are-driven-by-pain/) [William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/) > [Genetic engineering is a result of science advancement, so I don't think that in itself is bad. If used wisely, genetics can be beneficial,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hideo-kojima/genetic-engineering-is-a-result-of-science-advancement-so-i-don-t/) [Hideo Kojima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hideo-kojima/) > [Soon it will be a sin for parents to have a child that carries the heavy burden of genetic disease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-edwards/soon-it-will-be-a-sin-for-parents-to-have-a-child-that-carries-the/) [Bob Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-edwards/) > [The position of Autism Speaks has been for quite awhile that we need to find out what's happening. We know there's a genetic component,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-emken/the-position-of-autism-speaks-has-been-for-quite-awhile-that-we-need/) [Elizabeth Emken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-emken/) > [I never believed I'd have a six-pack, especially not at 35 years old. I always thought it was a genetic blessing. It's not. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sullivan-stapleton/i-never-believed-i-d-have-a-six-pack-especially-not-at-35-years-old-i/) [Sullivan Stapleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sullivan-stapleton/) > [You know, there's a tremendous amount of genetic propensity not necessarily for what TV shows you like but for literally how you view the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayim-bialik/you-know-there-s-a-tremendous-amount-of-genetic-propensity-not/) [Mayim Bialik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayim-bialik/) > [An important finding is that by determining the genome sequences of an entire family, one can identify many DNA sequencing errors and thus greatly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-hood/an-important-finding-is-that-by-determining-the-genome-sequences-of/) [Leroy Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-hood/) > [I've never argued that humans are massively hot-wired. What I was trying to point out was that you can't understand how we learn unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/i-ve-never-argued-that-humans-are-massively-hot-wired-what-i-was/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [I was in Vietnam, and I was exposed to Agent Orange. And there's a high relationship between people that were exposed to Agent Orange…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamilton-jordan/i-was-in-vietnam-and-i-was-exposed-to-agent-orange-and-there-s-a-high/) [Hamilton Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamilton-jordan/) > [Although self-control is inheritable and does run in families and has a genetic component, it's more like height than anything else. Height is one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrie-moffitt/although-self-control-is-inheritable-and-does-run-in-families-and-has/) Terrie Moffitt > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) ## More by William Glasser > [The answer lies in preventing these failures, not in looking for better ways to fix the people who are failing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/the-answer-lies-in-preventing-these-failures-not-in-looking-for/) [William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/) > [Too many of us fail to fulfill our needs because we say no rather than yes, or perhaps later in life, yes when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/too-many-of-us-fail-to-fulfill-our-needs-because-we-say-no-rather/) [William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/) > [Education is the process in which we discover that learning adds quality to our lives. Learning must be experienced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/education-is-the-process-in-which-we-discover-that-learning-adds/) [William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/) > [A friend of mine, a dedicated golfer, shot a hole in one playing by himself. Disaster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/a-friend-of-mine-a-dedicated-golfer-shot-a-hole-in-one-playing-by/) [William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/) > [“What happened in the past that was painful has a great deal to do with what we are today, but revisiting this painful past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/what-happened-in-the-past-that-was-painful-has-a-great-deal-to-do/) [William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/) > [I think it is totally wrong and terribly harmful if education is defined as acquiring knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/i-think-it-is-totally-wrong-and-terribly-harmful-if-education-is/) [William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/) > [You can acquire a lot of knowledge without ever going to school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/you-can-acquire-a-lot-of-knowledge-without-ever-going-to-school/) [William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/) > [“What happened in the past that was painful has a great deal to do with what we are today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/what-happened-in-the-past-that-was-painful-has-a-great-deal-to-do-2/) [William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/) > [This is at the heart of all good education, where the teacher asks students to think and engages them in encouraging dialogues, constantly checking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/this-is-at-the-heart-of-all-good-education-where-the-teacher-asks/) [William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/) > [Good or bad, everything we do is our best choice at that moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/good-or-bad-everything-we-do-is-our-best-choice-at-that-moment/) [William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/) > [They have this big book called the 'DSM-IV,' you know, that is supposedly written about crazy people, but I think it is a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/they-have-this-big-book-called-the-dsm-iv-you-know-that-is-supposedly/) [William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/) > [To counter the avoidance of intellectual challenge and responsibility, we must reduce the domination of certainty in education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/to-counter-the-avoidance-of-intellectual-challenge-and-responsibility/) [William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/) > [What happened in the past that was painful has a great deal to do with what we are today, but revisiting this painful past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/what-happened-in-the-past-that-was-painful-has-a-great-deal-to-do-3/) [William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/) > [Love. What is love? No word can define it, it's something so great, only God could design it. Yes, love is beyond, what man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/love-what-is-love-no-word-can-define-it-it-s-something-so-great-only/) [William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/) > [Unlike the weak, the strong neither give up nor are driven by pain into rash or stupid behavior. They don't like pain any more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/unlike-the-weak-the-strong-neither-give-up-nor-are-driven-by-pain/) [William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/) [Explore all 66 William Glasser quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/) ## More Belonging quotes > [She might be without country, without nation, but inside her there was still a being that could exist and be free, that could simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-maas/she-might-be-without-country-without-nation-but-inside-her-there-was/) [Sharon Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-maas/) > [I always think the best way of motivating yourself is to put yourself in a situation where you feel like you're belonging to something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-jackson/i-always-think-the-best-way-of-motivating-yourself-is-to-put-yourself/) [Colin Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-jackson/) > [It is a well-settled principle of the international code that where one nation owes another a liquidated debt which it refuses or neglects to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-jackson/it-is-a-well-settled-principle-of-the-international-code-that-where/) [Andrew Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-jackson/) > [The region belonging to the pure intellect is straitened: the imagination labours to extend its territories, to give it room. She sweeps across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-region-belonging-to-the-pure-intellect-is-straitened-the/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [I am convinced that human nature is basically affectionate and good. If our behavior follows our kind and loving nature, immense benefits will result,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/i-am-convinced-that-human-nature-is-basically-affectionate-and-good/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“The reason “belonging” was so potent, so attractive, so much a part of the human yearning, was that it also meant safety, and loyalty.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/the-reason-belonging-was-so-potent-so-attractive-so-much-a-part-of/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [If some student belonging to weaker section of society suffers distress, humanity says it must be addressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arun-jaitley/if-some-student-belonging-to-weaker-section-of-society-suffers/) [Arun Jaitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arun-jaitley/) > [Connection gives purpose and meaning to our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/connection-gives-purpose-and-meaning-to-our-lives/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [My father was a man of great charity towards the poor, and compassion for the sick, and also for servants; so much so, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-father-was-a-man-of-great-charity-towards-the-poor-and-compassion/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Maybe the problem with the world is, that people are too quick to judge. And out of desperation, the loneliness creeps in like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/maybe-the-problem-with-the-world-is-that-people-are-too-quick-to/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [“It turns out to be the place of true belonging, and it's the bravest and most sacred place you'll stand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/it-turns-out-to-be-the-place-of-true-belonging-and-it-s-the-bravest/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [The hardest thing about being at Sony was not the travel; it was being divorced from the public and private life I had in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-stringer/the-hardest-thing-about-being-at-sony-was-not-the-travel-it-was-being/) [Howard Stringer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-stringer/) > [Whenever you are examining someone else's belongings, you are bound to learn many interesting things about the person of which you were not previously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/whenever-you-are-examining-someone-else-s-belongings-you-are-bound-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“She isn't anybody's,' Rook said darkly. 'Son. she's not yours, either," Sarah Fleet said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaida-jones/she-isn-t-anybody-s-rook-said-darkly-son-she-s-not-yours-either-sarah/) [Jaida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaida-jones/) > [We have become this very fear-based culture, especially post-9/11. Fear is the opposite of love, in my opinion. I think there would be more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-have-become-this-very-fear-based-culture-especially-post-9-11-fear/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) [Browse all 876 Belonging quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belonging/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are driven by five genetic needs: survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Glasser" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/we-are-driven-by-five-genetic-needs-survival-love-and-belonging-power/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Belonging" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/we-are-driven-by-five-genetic-needs-survival-love-and-belonging-power/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/635/william-glasser-10297_belonging_we-are-driven-by-five-genetic-needs-surv_1093379.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/635/william-glasser-10297_belonging_we-are-driven-by-five-genetic-needs-surv_1093379.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/635/william-glasser-10297_belonging_we-are-driven-by-five-genetic-needs-surv_1093379.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We are driven by five genetic needs: survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun.” — William Glasser", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "William Glasser", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We are driven by five genetic...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/we-are-driven-by-five-genetic-needs-survival-love-and-belonging-power/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/we-are-driven-by-five-genetic-needs-survival-love-and-belonging-power/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```