An objective is the means by which we believe we will be able to satisfy one or more wants.  We may say, “I want money.” Or “I want a job.” In my formalism, either statement may be true, but it is sometimes more accurate to say “I want what money can buy.” or “I want what a job will get for me; such as money, position in a hierarchy, social interaction, etc.” Thus I will say that a want is an objective, but an objective is not necessarily a want.

It is well established that we are given a set of genetic or biobehavioral wants.  The most commonly stated are

1. power or position in a hierarchy,
2. security,
3. sex,
4. territory,
5. use of skills, and
6. social interaction.

One might say that the fundamental want is to feel good.  In this sense the above biobehavioral (term introduced by J.D. Glass) wants are objectives that when achieved make us feel good.  I define a want as an objective that is directly associated with making us feel good without an intermediary.  (I’ll make this more precise shortly.)  We do not have a biobehavioral want for money, but we may acquire a want for money that is beyond what it can buy.  Thus it may become both a want and a means to satisfy other wants. 

The mechanism for something becoming a want is through a simple associative process.  For example, I am a problem solving addict.  I do not believe I was born with this addiction.  I can recall a series of events in my life where I solved problems and received some positive feedback in the competent use of my skills and recognition by others that gave me a sense of a position in an intellectual hierarchy.  Over time this has turned into a want to solve problems, i.e. I derive pleasure directly from the activity of problem solving.

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