The 5 Instincts - They drive us

THE 5 INSTINCTS

The primary “fear” in all humans is the fear of death. More completely, it is the fear of dying without completing our task. Even non-believing social scientists have noted an underlying, innate desire to fulfill our task wired into every human. This is the fear that feeds all other fears. Just as fear underlies destructive emotions such as anger or sadness, the fear of dying without completing our task is the root of all fears.

Each of us has been given five instinctual gifts from God to support our longevity and ultimately complete our purpose.

The 5 instincts:

Self‑Esteem Instinct: Our self‑esteem was not designed to be comparative. It was intended as an internal report card that gives gentle feedback: we are either on track or off it. This instinct is our guide. We are to use it to become the best version of ourselves, not to become someone else.

When we compare ourselves to others, we misuse this internal signal. This is a sign that our esteem is facing the wrong direction and evaluating incorrectly. We call this broken or hyperactive self‑esteem. You were made for a unique purpose. Your life, experiences, face, body, and mind are unique. You were fashioned to be an optimized version of YOU. As you become the best version of yourself, purpose manifests more deeply and you align more closely with your role in the life plan.

Security Instinct: Our security instinct is designed to keep us physically safe. It alerts us to put on a coat in the snow and to earn money for shelter. It is the internal alarm that sounds when the car breaks down or when we are on the edge of a roof. When balanced, it helps us avoid physically, emotionally, and financially unsafe decisions. When hyperactive, we avoid any and all risks or worthy ambitions; conversely, we might climb a mountain without ropes. We find ourselves at one end or the other of the safety spectrum.

This instinct is as old as humankind. It pushes adrenaline into our muscles, races our heart, and fills our lungs with oxygen so we can act—fight or flee. Repeated life experiences can make this instinct overly sensitive or blunted, producing an unrealistic sense of danger or nullifying our ability to respond to real threats.

Ambition Instinct: This instinct is our fundamental desire to know more and become more. We reach for answers, create innovations, and evolve into more efficient beings. It led to medicine, improved farming, safer cars, and better laws. Ambition is a key reason average life expectancy has risen dramatically. As technology advances rapidly, imagine what life could be like centuries from now. If the ambition instinct is hyperactive, we may either couch‑surf with no goals or attempt to conquer the world. Early experiences shape how the mind interprets events, making this alarm sound when there is no rational cause. If our perspective clears, the instinct calms and we pursue worthwhile causes and goals that fit our purpose.

Sex Instinct: The sex instinct is wired to seek a suitable life partner, produce children, bring passion, wisdom, accountability, and joy. The fruit of this instinct is a family that carries on the human race. This is a wonderful gift. However, if hyperactive, we may never settle from fear of commitment or repeatedly betray a partner. Without addressing weaknesses in this sector, we risk fleeing growth‑enabling struggle or harming our partner with betrayals.

Social Instinct: The social instinct creates the internal desire to build community. From it arose civilization. Alone, humans would be vulnerable to predators; combined with ambition, the social instinct enables teamwork and survival.

God gave us this instinct to care for one another and work together as a family for a greater purpose. When hyperactive, we may isolate ourselves in the woods to escape people—or avoid being alone to the point of starvation.

When we feel threatened, one or more of these instincts is alerted. If one or more instincts is overly sensitive, we are at the mercy of irrational phantom fears that suggest our life is in danger. We react with defective behaviors born of irrational fear. All broken defects come from fear. If we can learn to shift one or two instincts into balance, irrational fear will subside and we will act less from reaction and more from principle.

Principles lead to prosperity. Defects lead to destruction.

How important is it to adjust hyperactive instincts? Balancing instinctual perspectives is paramount to abolishing fear. This is why abandonment or bankruptcy can keep us in stasis: they affect nearly every instinct—five‑alarm fire! Later, you will learn how to identify which instincts are threatened and what to do to calm a client and help them move out of irrational fear and back into effective action.