You write to engage readers, but often your writing fails to resonate with their true desires. Life Force 8 identifies eight fundamental human desires that drive decisions, enabling you to connect with your audience on an instinctual level and elicit action.
What Is Life Force 8 (LF8)?
Life Force 8 is a system that points out eight basic human desires that drive almost all human actions. Drew Eric Whitman came up with this idea in his book “Cashvertising.”
The main idea is that humans are naturally inclined to react to certain needs and wants. So, when you write in a way that directly addresses these basic desires, it resonates with readers in a way that logical arguments can’t.
What Are the 8 Core Desires?
These eight different desires show up in every decision we make, from what we eat for breakfast to which political candidate we support:
- Survival, enjoyment of life, life extension
- Enjoyment of food and beverages
- Freedom from fear, pain, and danger
- Sexual companionship
- Comfortable living conditions
- To be superior, winning, keeping up with the Joneses
- Care and protection of loved ones
- Social approval
Why Are These Desires Great for Copywriting
Life Force 8 works because these desires can’t be taught or conditioned out of people. They’re biological imperatives that exist across cultures, time periods, and demographics. Here’s why they’re so powerful for writing:
- They’re universal. Everyone experiences these desires, which means your message has built-in relevance.
- They trigger immediate emotional responses. While rational arguments take time to process, these desires activate instantly.
- They bypass skepticism. When you address a primal need, people respond before their critical thinking kicks in.
- They create urgency. These aren’t nice-to-haves but rather fundamental needs that demand immediate attention.
- They can be measured. You can test which desires resonate most with your audience and refine your approach accordingly.
Using These Desires for Better Writing
Each of the eight desires offers a different angle for connecting with readers. Some desires will naturally align with what you’re selling or saying, while others require a creative approach.
Let’s break down how to use each one effectively in your writing.
Survival, Enjoyment of Life, Life Extension
This wish is all about living well and being successful. When you write, you can connect with it by talking about dangers to health or giving ideas that make life better.
Here’s how various fields use this wish:
- Financial services ask: “Will you have enough money to retire?”
- Medical products warn: “Catch this disease early before it’s too late.”
- Productivity tools promise: “Stop wasting years of your life on inefficient systems.”
Tip: Make the risks feel real without being pushy. You can do this by showing what happens if your target audience takes action or if they don’t. For example, a fitness program might focus on maintaining your independence as you get older rather than just losing weight.
Enjoyment of Food and Beverages
This desire seems restrictive, but it is, in fact, pretty flexible. Of course, restaurants and food companies use it all the time. But you can also use it for experiences that give similar feelings of joy and luxury.
Consider these applications:
- Travel writing that describes local cuisine so vividly you can taste it through the screen
- Lifestyle brands positioning their products as treats you deserve
- Software described as satisfying to use
- The specific smell of a new car
Tip: Don’t just say something tastes good. Instead, describe the crack of a fresh baguette crust, the way butter melts into warm bread, the satisfaction of that first bite.
Freedom From Fear, Pain, and Danger
Insurance companies have built empires on the desire for security, but it applies to far more than protection plans. Regardless of the industry you are writing for, any time you’re solving a problem that causes stress, anxiety, or discomfort, you’re working with this desire.
Examples include:
- Tech products promising to eliminate the fear of data loss
- Home security systems addressing physical safety concerns
- Project management software preventing missed deadlines and angry clients
Tip: The more specific the pain point, the stronger the response. So, instead of “protect your family,” try “stop worrying about what happens to your kids if you’re not around to provide for them.”
Sexual Companionship
This desire isn’t just about sex, though that’s certainly part of it. It’s about attraction, romance, connection, and desirability.
Industries that rely on this desire:
- Dating apps
- Fashion brands
- Grooming products
- Fitness programs
- Anything that promises to make you more attractive.
Tip: It’s important to know how your audience feels about what they want. Some groups like straightforward messages, while others prefer more clever hints.
Comfortable Living Conditions
This wish is about having nice housing, an enjoyable lifestyle, and everything you need close by. Real estate definitely uses this, but so do furniture companies, smart home gadgets, and even subscription services that claim to make your life simpler.
When you write thinking about this wish, stress out the difference between how uncomfortable things are now and how easy they could be in the future:
- Remote work appeals: Instead of commuting in traffic, work from your couch
- Meal delivery services: Restaurant-quality food without leaving home
- Financial automation tools: Stop worrying about paying bills
Tip: Paint the picture of life getting easier, more comfortable, and more pleasant. People will pay good money to feel better in their own space.
To Be Superior, Winning, Keeping up With the Joneses
Nobody wants to admit they care about status, but everyone does to some degree. This desire is about competition, achievement, and social standing.
Luxury brands obviously use this, but so do:
- Educational programs focused on career advancement
- Productivity tools that offer an edge over competitors
- Parenting products that help your kids succeed
Business writing often uses competitive framing: “While your competitors struggle with outdated methods, you’ll be three steps ahead.”
Tip: Consider your audience carefully before deciding on your writing approach. Some people respond to “be the best” messaging, while others prefer “join the elite few who understand this.”
Care and Protection of Loved Ones
This wish extends beyond family to anyone we feel responsible for.
Industries that lean on this include:
- Life insurance and educational savings plans
- Health products for family members
- Home security systems
Your writing should focus on the people your readers care about, not just the readers themselves. For example, a retirement plan becomes about making sure your spouse is taken care of. A safer car is about getting your kids home alive. A will-writing service is about protecting your family from legal nightmares after you’re gone.
Tip: When you write to this desire, you’re permitting readers to be selfless. They’re not spending money on themselves; they’re being responsible caregivers.
Social Approval
Humans are social animals. We care what others think, even when we pretend we don’t. This desire is about acceptance, recognition, praise, and avoiding embarrassment.
Social media platforms have monetized this desire brilliantly, but it shows up everywhere:
- Professional certification programs promise respect in your field
- Fashion addresses the fear of being judged for your appearance
- Books promise to make you more interesting at dinner parties
Tip: The writing angle here is either gaining approval or avoiding disapproval. Some people respond to “impress your friends” messaging. Others respond better to “never feel embarrassed again.”
AI Prompt
Want to try the Life Force 8 and see for yourself how effective it is? Copy and paste this AI prompt:
You are a writer. Your task is to use the "Life Force 8" human desires to make the provided topic more powerful and engaging for the target audience and meet the article's goal.
Topic: [insert topic]
Audience: [insert your target audience]
Goal: [insert the goal]
Preferred human desire: [input your preferred desire]
Please write a [insert word count] copy that naturally connects to preferred human desire mentioned above:
Context and requirements:
1. Survival, enjoyment of life, life extension - show risks to health, time, or future success
2. Enjoyment of food and beverages - use vivid sensory details
3. Freedom from fear, pain, and danger - highlight specific worries and how the solution removes them
4. Sexual companionship - touch on confidence, desirability, and connection when appropriate
5. Comfortable living conditions - paint a picture of an easier, more pleasant lifestyle
6 To be superior, winning, keeping up with the Joneses
7. Care and protection of loved ones - frame benefits in terms of protecing or helping people the reader cares about.
8. Social approval - emphasize respect, recognition, and avoiding embarrassment. Tip: If you want to get your creativity flowing, check out our brainstorming techniques.
Final Thoughts
And there you have it! When you write with these primal human desires in mind, your words become stronger because they relate to something your readers already want. Begin by identifying which desires align with your message and your audience, and then shape your writing to speak directly to those feelings.