“What human beings can be, they must be.” ~ Abraham Maslow
Abraham Maslow has been called one of the most famous psychologists of the 20th Century. His research into what makes successful and high-achieving people do what they do and be what they are is the precursor of the Positive Psychology movement.
The Hierarchy of Needs
Maslow is known for his “hierarchy of needs” – a ranking or scale of human needs. At the bottom are physical or physiological needs – air, food, water, sleep. Next are needs for safety and security – good health, secure employment, social and family stability. These two categories comprise our basic needs. Going up the hierarchy, next come needs for love and belonging – intimate relationships, friends, a sense of connectedness. Then, the need for self- esteem – achievement, respect of others, prestige. These two categories define our psychological needs. Finally, at the top of the pyramid, we reach self-actualization – what Maslow considered as achieving one’s full potential, that is “what one can be, one must be.”
Continue reading “The Self Actualized Life”
