Maslow’s Hierarchy

In the 1940s, behaviorist Abraham Maslow suggested that humans are motivated by a series of needs. His hierarchy of needs is still considered a pivotal theory for human motivation.

Picture a triangle split into 5 horizontal sections. The bottom section is physiological needs, then safety, then love, next is esteem and at the top is self-actualization or what’s known as being all you can be.

Different life circumstances will cause you to move up and down the needs hierarchy and drive your responses to situations. (For example, if the loss of your job meant a loss of safety or security for you, you’d likely be driven to find another job before you would be fulfilled by your social life.)

To achieve our goals in life, it is helpful to understand what your own particular driving forces are..

Action – So, what are your specific needs and where do they fit into Maslow’s hierarchy? Figure out what your unfulfilled or fundamental needs are lower in the hierarchy that may be preventing you from achieving your goals at a higher level.