I believe that life’s ultimate purpose is to pursue your dreams and ambitions; to seek happiness and fulfillment. This may seem to be a Utopian viewpoint provided the world we live in. I derive this opinion based on the theories of Maslow, that we are all seeking something more.
Around the world people struggle daily in order to meet basic needs in their lives. They have no concern for dreams or goals. Instead they focus on ensuring their survival. Those who find themselves in poverty are concerned with having food to eat and a place to live while those who are working to break into the middle class may find themselves focusing on being able to make sure the bills are paid each month. A rich doctor may have his basic needs met, yet struggle internally as he seeks self-actualization; realizing maximum potential and possibilities.
Despite the variety of challenges we face in our lives, we all are striving for the same goal. That goal is to be happy. Whether we are in rural Africa where we have to hunt for our food or we live in Los Angeles where we struggle to pay our rent as we pursue our dream of being an actor, we are all pursuing the same desire only in different ways and at different levels. At first glance it may not seem that we are all seeking to reach our maximum potential, that we have no time for self-actualization, yet if we are able to fulfill our needs at each level we will then be able to focus our attention on a new set of needs.
In 1943 Abraham Maslow developed a theory called the Hierarchy of Needs.
From Wikipedia:
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is predetermined in order of importance. It is often depicted as a pyramid consisting of five levels: the lowest level is associated with physiological needs, while the uppermost level is associated with self-actualization needs, particularly those related to identity and purpose. Deficiency needs must be met first. Once these are met, seeking to satisfy growth needs drives personal growth. The higher needs in this hierarchy only come into focus when the lower needs in the pyramid are met. Once an individual has moved upwards to the next level, needs in the lower level will no longer be prioritized. If a lower set of needs is no longer being met, the individual will temporarily re-prioritize those needs by focusing attention on the unfulfilled needs, but will not permanently regress to the lower level.
Level One: Physiological Needs-These are the most basics of needs, needs which ensure our survival; food, water, shelter, sleep. In places around the world these needs require a continual & daily struggle to be met. Some people spend their entire lives fighting to be able to survive. Here the idea that these people would concern themselves with daydreams and goals seems almost ludicrous. Still, if they are able to fulfill their physiological needs consistently, they are able to progress onward to the next level, though many are never able.
Level Two: Safety-While most of us take for granted having food & shelter, many of us feel a strong desire for safety and security. We work in order to provide a certain level of financial security, we exercise & stay active to ensure our health and we avoid dark alleys to avoid life threatening situations. With our safety and security ensured, we are able to pursue the third level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
Level Three: Social Needs-After we are able to satisfactorily fulfill our most basic needs we can begin to focus on forming relationships and bonds with other people. We develop friendships and seek intimacy with a partner. We focus our attention on the importance of family and creating a community of family and friends in which we surround ourselves. Once we have involved ourselves in a community where we feel a sense of acceptance we are able to move onto the next level.
Level Four: Esteem- This is the level where many of us find ourselves in today. All of our basic needs are being met, we have food & shelter, we feel safe in a multitude of ways and we have a supportive network of family and friends in which we belong. We are now able to focus on being valued and respected within that community. Each of us does this in our own way. Some may buy fancy clothes and drive a nice car, while another may bake a pie for their neighbor or lend a helping hand around the garage. Others still may seek esteem through their career, where they feel validated as a result of the work they do. It is only after achieving this level that we are able to seek the ultimate level.
Level Five: Self-Actualization- This is the final level of the pyramid. Here an individual focuses on pursuing their goals and seeking personal satisfaction.
Maslow describes self-actualization as:
Intrinsic growth of what is already in the organism, or more accurately of what is the organism itself…self-actualization is growth-motivated rather than deficiency-motivated.
Instead of focusing on meeting basic needs we are able to grow and improve as individuals. No longer are we struggling to meet our needs, we are thriving to realize our internal desires; our goals and ambitions.
Each of us has a desire for something more, something better. Whether we are able to meet our needs in order to pursue these dreams is as much a product of circumstance as it is our persistence in overcoming our obstacles.
For some, the dream may be to be able to provide a safe and secure home for their children. Once these needs have been met, the dream evolves into something else and once this goal has been realized the person is able to focus on something more.
Those of us reading this are fortunate. Our basic needs are met and we have a community of family and friends. We are in situations where our goals and dreams are within our grasp, if only we persist in pursuing them.
With all of the politics surrounding health care reform, I was relieved to watch Bill Maher interview Bill Moyers about this subject. The conversation was spot on & I think everyone, regardless of their political opinions, should take the time to watch this interview & reflect upon the message.
