Have you ever found yourself struggling to get motivated and feel like quitting? Perhaps you've read a few self-improvement books and tried to change your mindset, but nothing has really worked for you.
You want to understand what's causing your unhappiness and why you're feeling so depressed and hopeless. You're looking for a way to boost your motivation so you can succeed in life.
Then you come across Maslow's hierarchy of needs, a popular psychological theory that argues that humans need to meet basic wants before moving on to more sophisticated demands. The concept has become one of the most important ideas in personality science and motivation psychology.
Physiological and Safety Needs
A person's physiological and safety needs are at the bottom of the pyramid. They include the need for food, water, shelter, sex, and health.
When these needs are met, people are able to focus more on higher level needs. For example, if a child's physiological and safety needs are met, they can then focus on their social and esteem needs.
Love and Belonging Needs
The need to be loved and accepted by others is at the next level of Maslow's pyramid. The need for friendship, intimacy, trust, and acceptance are all part of this need.
Esteem Needs
The third level of Maslow's pyramid includes the need to feel respected by others and by yourself. The need for self-esteem includes dignity, confidence, independence, and freedom from fear.
Cognitive Needs
The fourth level of Maslow's pyramid focuses on knowledge and understanding. It also addresses curiosity, exploration, and the need for meaning and predictability. Finally, the fifth level of Maslow's pyramid focuses more on aesthetics and transcendence. Those who have this need look to help others, pursue spirituality, and find meaning in their lives.