Maslow Speaks To All of Us

In his 1943 paper “A Theory of Motivation”, Abraham Maslow laid out his theory on the variables which drive human behavior.

In essence, Maslow postulated that there are four needs that need to be quenched and one additional, special need, which makes us reach toward our full potential- the need for self-actualization.

The five human needs according to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs are:

- Physiological needs

- Safety needs

- Social and belongingness needs

- Esteem Needs

- Self-actualization Needs

The first four of needs are needs of deficiency, while self-actualization refers to our perceived requirement to make the most out of our lives and to reach our utmost potential.

To him, self-actualization was a form of transcendence, a state of being where being becomes becoming as the person is constantly growing and becoming more than they were.

In contrast, the other four, deficiency, needs grow stronger the longer they are not met. When they are met, however, we feel satiated. Think about the last time you were hungry. The longer you abstained from food, the deeper your hunger became. But once it is quenched, you no longer need any more food. In fact, if you’ve just had a big meal, you may feel a little sick if you see more food.

It’s not the same with growth, according to Maslow. The more we grow, the more we would like to grow further, to engage with the world and develop.

“We enjoy and even thrill to godlike possibilities we see in ourselves in such peak moments”, said Maslow about one of the hallmarks of self-actualization, according to him — peak experiences. He called these “rare, oceanic” and “deeply moving”. During such an experience, the experiencer would often experience a deep sense of immersion in the world and harmony.

These, of course, happen to all of us. We all experience these, sometimes through love, art or nature. But Maslow made the argument that for self-actualized these experiences are that much more frequent and deeper. For self-actualized people, ought is the same as need. Conceptual distinctions fade away and reality takes the front seat.

Maslow’s work was all about describing human motivations. But he wasn’t satisfied with simply finding what moves us on a daily level. Rather, he was more interested in what makes people inspired, what makes them tick and operate at their highest level of potential.

These people may not always be happy; Nelson Mandela, Victor Frankl, Mahatma Gandhi — all these people faced considerable personal difficulty amid soaring social unrest. But they were monumental despite the difficulties.

This is what Maslow was interested in.