DECEMBER 2, 2022
Abraham Maslow was an American psychologist who is best known for creating “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs” to explain human motivation. His theory suggested that people have a number of basic needs that must be met before they move up the hierarchy to pursue more social, emotional, and self-actualizing needs. If you are motivated enough and want to learn more about yourself and understanding others, do study Maslow to see where you stand on his hierarchy pyramid. If you are not very motivated or play the victim card often, you are probably stuck in the bottom tier of just trying to survive.
Once you get all of the basic needs satisfied, keep pressing onward and upward. (Check out our Elevator Guy website if you need a “Lift”)There will be ups and downs and lots of curve balls thrown your way in life. But “Keep pressing on.” If you want to learn more, challenge yourself to read and discuss these issues with your friends, mentors, coaches or teachers. (Your personal Board of Directors) Don’t worry about comparing yourself to others as they may have different needs than you. Just try looking deep inside to see what you are made of and where you might grow and improve as one of God’s children. (Don’t forget 10% for the Big Guy. HA!) It doesn’t matter the season of your life. In fact, once you get to retirement age like the Elevator Guy, you just might have time to focus more on your end game (rather than your golf game) in finding out WHO you are, who you are becoming, and what lasting legacy you can leave others.
Maslow points out that “What is necessary to change a person, is to change his awareness of himself.” If you plan on being anything less than you are capable of being, you will probably be unhappy all the rest of your days. “What a man must be, he must be.” Self-actualization, in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, “is the highest level of psychological development, where personal potential is fully realized after basic bodily and ego needs have been fulfilled.” Notice Maslow emphasizes the “Ego” and all the trappings in life that motivate us. (Or not) Ego is important, but an unhealthy ego can lead to “acting” (trying to be someone you are not) a certain way just because that is what society tells us we need to do. Don’t fall for it. Be your own critical thinker as you navigate life. Start with what you want for yourself at the end of your career or the end of your life. Make sure you are open to whom God put right in front of you to help show you the way. Make sure you are following or leading those key relationships in a true and honorable path, full of competence, caring, an enthusiastic spirt, and integrity. Finally, learn more about who you are. It is a lifelong endeavor and can be very rewarding once you truly accept WHO you are along while accepting others for who they are. (Understanding not judgment) We are not on this earth to do battle with one another but to love, grow and encourage one another in peace.
After the basic survival needs column of the pyramid, comes; safety needs, belonging and love needs, and esteem needs. Maslow believed that a healthy self-esteem (Ego) is based on higher-level needs of self-respect and competence. (Try wisdom over merely knowledge) Higher level esteem needs are based on self-praise, or internal feelings of accomplishment, while lower-level needs are based on praise from others, or external feelings of accomplishment. While you might be motivated to succeed by your definition, don’t forget to think of and include others in their plight of life. (Empathy) Having too much “Vitamin I” may slow down your growth process and blind you into understanding and accepting yourself and others.
Accept yourself where you are right now. (The Present) Yesterday is gone and you can’t change it. You can learn from it and move forward though. Realize your dreams, have the courage to embrace the unknown, trust your sponsors, be true to yourself, and accept yourself with all of your flaws. Then prioritize and enjoy the journey, not just the destination. Be motivated to achieve an inner peace that is unflappable. Don’t get hung up on what other people say about you or think of you. (They have their own self-esteem needs to worry about) However, look at yourself as a good “work in progress” that sees a bright future and a victory in the end.
Elevator Guy
Quote for the Day: “One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.” Abraham Maslow