Self-achievement, also known as self-actualisation, is the top most level in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. This is the greatest potential of a human being at play. Most of the time, our efforts are aimed in pursuit of this. But how do we get there?
There are 5 levels in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs:
Let’s take a closer look.
It is presented on a triangular model because considering the effectivity of this theory requires us to start from the bottom. There are 5 levels. Understanding each level should be based on the ideal that the level on top, preceding each cannot be attained if the one under is not met.
WHAT COMPOSES EACH LEVEL OF THE HIERARCHY?
As you can see, the Physical Needs are the immediate needs such as, air, food, water, rest and this also includes sex that submit to a person’s id. These needs are carnal in nature. It sets the triangular model’s base since it should be met first-hand and above all else. Otherwise, absence of it results to death.
The next one is Safety and Security. Did you ever notice how much stress you deal with when your funds fail to meet ends? This threatens your sense of security. As a result, you don’t know why you’re imbalanced with your views, reasoning and your patience is shorter than a sigh. When you don’t have a house or just the thought of being evicted because you don’t have enough money to pay rent, compromises your safety. Moreover, a gunpoint is a threat to both safety and security. Being next to the physical needs, any form of threat to the second level makes reaching the third level impossible.
A sanity of a person belongs to Love and Belongingness. Even in the bible, when God had made Adam, complete with all the things he needed to live, He sensed loneliness for Adam. Therefore, He made Eve. There’s no other emphasis to be given to this level except that, it’s the only why for existing. This is where everybody’s purpose depends on, and nothing else.
GREATLY, THE FIRST 3 LEVELS LEAD TO SOMETHING THAT MAKES US SEPARATED FROMT HE REST OF THE LIVING THINGS ON EARTH.
Having Self-Esteem makes us able to reason out, get inspired and be an inspiration ourselves. This level makes us think of ideas and develop them as we imagine. We get to have dreams and we get to feel intangible, yet strongest of emotions. We get to know motivation and frustration. And our existence becomes of essence to the world we live in. Our self-esteem is needed in acting on our purpose.
This leads us all to becoming extraordinary later on as we become achievers, creators, innovators and idealists. We act on our values. Imagination turns into reality. Things happen because we make them happen. This is the level that ables us to choose from what is good and what is bad. Consequences dawn to us as we do critical thinking. We are able to judge between what’s proper and not. In this level, we decide on taking a leap or staying still. We understand peace and accept collateral beauty from events that are beyond our control. And that is Self-Actualization and Self-Achievement.
Reaching Self-Actualisation and Becoming a High Performer
People who reach the level of self-actualisation and self-achievement are candidates for becoming high performers. High performers find success as a necessity. This leads us back to associating this necessity to the top level of the hierarchy of “needs”. According to Brendon Burchard of www.success.com., two internal forces stir up this necessity. They are: 1) personal standard for excellence and 2) obsession to a topic. Click on for the entire article about having the mark of excellence (which I highly recommend as a good read).
But what I find so catchy was his 6 Ways to Become a High Performer.
Before I end this article, let me direct you to a good book, Rich Dad Poor Dad, that I have written a review of. It inspired me into attaining financial freedom. What is financial freedom you may ask.
“Financial Education or Financial Literacy is the ability to use one’s knowledge and skills in handling finances and resources effectively to for lifetime financial security” – definition by: NFEC, Jump$tart and GAO
