How do we get from Need to Mission?
by Stephen Simmer
I offer these as the four steps for the evolution of mission: need, demand, want, and mission.
1. NEED is the child-position: I need love, and no matter what relationship I have, I am reaching out to be loved (or reaching out for peace, justice, whatever value). I feel helpless to get love without someone giving it to me.
2. DEMAND is the slightly older child, who uses anger to try to get the value: I insist that you love me, or damn it, you better give me justice, or peace. Many parents operate out of this demand-position, which is no longer just passively whining. It’s in your face, producing the value by coercion. “Damn it, you better show me some respect!”
3. WANT is the adult position: Like in our clearings: my want is that you love me, but that doesn’t mean I’ll get it. If you won’t love me, I’ll still work to get love (or peace, or justice) elsewhere.
4. MISSION is beyond the ego. It is at the level of the large self, or the universe. When I step into mission, it is no longer about me getting love any more. I am working to create love (or peace, or justice) in the universe. I am no longer focused on treating my wounds. I am working in the wounded world. A by-product of this action may be that my own wounds are healed.
About Stephen Simmer-I am a psychotherapist serving Western Massachusetts, with offices in West Springfield and Northampton, Massachusetts.
To learn more about me and my work visit:http://www.stephensimmer.com
– is a deeply personal issue that everyone decides for himself. Sometimes the price is high, sometimes low. But this is not very important for life. Life is an interesting thing. And the price on Viagra – too.
