Human self-actualization is driven by universal wants. Because once these basic needs that ensure our livelihood are met, we have a motor that keeps us moving. It's about wanting to grow, prosper, and be healthier. Happiness too.
Since Abraham Maslow proposed his basic theory of human motivation, more has been learned about it. Psychology has studied this topic for decades and found that social connection and control over our environment are crucial to flourishing.
This article will help you if you're lost in a crucial moment.
Living and growing in peace and satisfaction requires more than meeting fundamental requirements. After safety and sustenance, the mind wants more. Abraham Maslow, the greatest humanistic psychologist, emphasised that we are biologically predisposed to evolve in his classic research on human motivation.
After achieving physical well-being, we look at this next stage of the pyramid to progress as humans in self-realization. Universal needs motivate personal growth and fulfilment. Positive psychology studies this too.
The University of California studied this. Being well goes beyond physical and mental wellness. This includes life satisfaction, ambitions, and excellent relationships. The following four dimensions summarise these fascinating spheres.
Understanding what gives you meaning helps you live a more meaningful life. As surprising as it may sound, many people navigate daily without a goal. Inertia, routines, and others' directions lead them astray. Before discomfort, existential emptiness, and hopelessness.
Clarifying our life purpose is crucial to human flourishing. It governs every move and decision, like a compass that shows us our north and which routes to avoid. Feeling adrift without a goal affects mental health.
Control what in your life? Universal needs include the need to control as much as possible. As noted in her Motivated Social Perception study, psychologist Susan Fiske's BUC(k)ET requirements model includes this feature.
Happiness starts with recognising what you can and cannot control. A brief look:
You can manage your emotions and thoughts.
Your response is up to you.
You select your courses and decisions.
Nobody controls destiny, let alone social events.
You cannot control others' opinions.
What others do, think, or decide is beyond your control.
Even though we know that attempting to control everything produces sorrow, there is one item to consider. Knowing what is out of our control and what is within our power promotes well-being. This prevents learned helplessness, the belief that nothing changes.
What are you good at? In order to be fulfilled, everyone requires self-efficacy. No one who is proud of their worth, talent, and potential is irritable or egotistical. This trait helps us achieve goals, feel helpful, and grow professionally and personally.
Competence boosts self-esteem and self-image. It also catalyses you to reach your goals and create yourself as a person, knowing you are worthwhile.
Everything in the range of requirements revolves around emotional bonds. This substrate will be there throughout human development and evolution. Since we are social creatures, we bond to feel protected, fulfilled, and happy.