Sanjay asks: How can we convert our “needs” into “wants?” Vanessa asks: How can we think upon the threat of a nuclear war, or the thought of America becoming a totalitarian state, or the loss of voting rights, without becoming anxious or depressed? Cliff asks: I have pure obsessive OCD and get stuck on intrusive thoughts. What should I do? Upcoming Questions in Ask David podcasts William asks: How would the T.E.A.M. model look with addiction and procrastination? Caroline asks: I’ve done Cost Benefit Analyses (CBAs) for many of my SDBs (Self-Defeating Beliefs), and the disadvantages greatly outweigh the advantages? What’s the next step? Al asks: Can you help me with fear? Khoi asks: How do you deal with colleagues who gossip about your boss? Matt asks: How do we help patients who don’t “get” the Acceptance Paradox? Edwin asks: What’s the best treatment for internet surfing? It feels like my actions operate below the level of consciousness! Al asks: Can you help me with worrying and fear of symptoms? Paul asks: Are you planning on doing a podcast about people who are about to retire and are very anxious about the prospect and also depressed about closing that chapter in their lives?  I’m in that boat    Sanjay asks: How can we convert our “needs” into “wants?” Dear Dr. Burns I thank you for pointing out “dramatic shift” in the foot notes and it has given me immense satisfaction . So my learning from this is that ‘Low Level Solution’ remains just a “first aid” only because it is still in the category of “NEED” has not yet moved into the category of “WANT”. A further question comes to mind So what is the process / formula to keep the deepest desires of ours from not entering into NEEDs and remain in the WANT zone. and yet we can work with highest passion and love to achieve them . OR in other words , how do you keep your biggest desire of your APP in the WANT zone and still maintains the highest level passion to achieve it . what is he process to reach that stage? You have already given us the answer to this and shown us the way towards Enlightenment via FOUR GREAT DEATHS of the “self.” Still if you would like to say something more that will help us to grasp the process of keeping the desires in WANT only. warm regards Sanjay   David’s reply In reply to Sanjay Gulati. You can also do two Cost-Benefit Analyses CBA. For example, the first might be a CBA on the Adv and Disadv of Needing love, achievement, or approval, for example, and the second would be a CBA on the Adv and Dis of Wanting the same. You could also use the semantic Technique. What could you tell yourself instead of “I NEED great achievement (or love or approval or whatever) to feel happy and fulfilled.” A third could be to do an experiment and see if it is really true that happiness always or only comes from achievement, love, approval, etc. A fourth strategy would be to do a Feared Fantasy and have a conversation, in imagination or in role play with a therapist, with someone who has achieved tremendously. That person would have to explain that she or he looks down on most other people because they haven’t achieved as much, so s/he feels they are less worthwhile. You might suddenly discover that such a person doesn’t actually seem especially “worthwhile,” but more of an egotistical type. With regard to the app, I’m just having fun with it, and making all kinds of amazing discoveries. Parts of it are really effective. Other parts are ineffective and need to be changed. But it is all an adventure. I can’t control the outcome—will it be popular? Will we develop a business model that allows us to pay our bills? Maybe yes, maybe no, maybe partially. But to be honest, I don’t really care! And not “caring” or “needing” frees me up to care way more effectively, and more creatively, and more lovingly. And with inner peace along the way. Here is something else. You begin to realize that there is no such thing as “failure,” only information. For example, if people don’t lik