The need to be moving — not necessarily forward in any measurable sense, but through a process of change, deepening, or becoming. A felt sense that one is not static, that the self is still capable of being surprised by itself and stretched beyond its current edges. Distinct from [[Need - Contribution]], which is about making something matter externally. Growth is oriented toward the inner landscape — the slow accumulation of understanding, skill, or self-knowledge that may never be visible to anyone else. ## Feelings that signal this need is unmet [[Despairing]] | [[Restless]] | [[Withdrawn]] [[Disconnected]] | [[Confused]] ## How it commonly manifests Most clearly as a vague stagnation — doing the same things, thinking the same thoughts, going through motions without genuine novelty or challenge. Can also appear as restless dissatisfaction with competence: having mastered something and feeling hollow because there's nothing left to learn. In relationships, shows up when someone senses they're no longer being met at their current level of complexity. ## Values filter question *Am I growing here, or am I simply continuing?* ## Related needs [[Need - Play]] | [[Need - Meaning]] [[Need - Autonomy]] | [[Need - Presence]]