We all would have heard stories of some great people. Mahatma Gandhi, Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein, Rabindra Nath Tagore, Stephen Hawkins. The list goes on . With their strong will, fearlessness and ability to think differently, there have changed the course of history many times.
They are our motivation, our inspiration, our ideals. We all like to become like them.
The question is how so? What they all have done different in their lives that made them great? How are they better then an average human?
You will say they are born to be great or deloped the required qualities. They are brave, courageous, kind, have farsightedness etc. etc.
All this is cool. But some may be born with these, done may need ttheory’
p there qualities.
The question goes more specific. How to devlop these qualities?
Thinking about the lives of these people they may have different field of work. They may have brought different changes. But they have one thing in common.
To understand that thing we need to have a look on a very interesting piece of study of human psychology.
‘Maslow’s need theory’
Maslow was a researcher who researchers on different needs that can be present in human lives.
He says all the needs of a human being can be categorized on five categories.
1. Physiological needs
There are out basic needs that are essential for our survival. Our needs of food, water , air to breathe, shelter, clothing etc. fall under this category. There are the lowest level needs .
2. Safety needs
When physiological needs are well gratified, we would like to have them for a long period. We would now need to have a stable life in which we can feel safe from the world. Our needs for regular income, peaceful society, fair system of law etc. came under this category.
3 Belongings needs
Humans are social beings. We are not made to spend a lonely life. We need family and friends. We need to belong somewhere. Our needs a family, friends, a life partner. We may even feel need to attach to a religion. All this come under belongingness needs.
4. Esteem needs
This is the need for appreciation and respect from others. It is what we call ‘satisfying our ego’. The concept of self respect or self esteem, prestige, status is evolved from this.
5. Self actualisation needs
This is the highest order need. This represent the desire to improve ourselves. Actualizing our inner potentials. The desire to leave an imprint on the world. The desire to learn something new( curiosity)or to excel in something. Desire to make the world better .
This need is the reason for the development of the human race.
Maslow has concluded 2 things from the theory. The categories follow a hierarchy starting from phonological needs to self actualisation.
And fulfillment of needs of one level promotes the higher level needs. He has said that one cannot think of fulfillment of a need unless all previous level needs are fulfilled.
Hmmm! Does it feels interesting to you? Try to think examples from your life keeping in mind the conclusions.
You will find out that this may not be true.
It is proved that this hierarchy can be different for different people. A friend protecting his buddy from goons. Belongingness needs comes before safety needs.
A soldier giving his life to protect the nation. A mother working overtime to give her child a good life. There are examples everywhere this hierarchy shifts.
So, this theory is not so rigid. We can be not robot who can be programmed to follow such hierarchies. We make our own hierarchies from our free will.
Coming back to put question what is common thing in all the great people? The answer is they give preference to the highest other need that is at the peak of pyramid , self actualisation .
Think of any example.
Mahatma Gandhi left his career in endless and position of great respect and dignity in South Africa to fight for freedom of his country.
Steve Jobs didn’t complete his graduation rather preferred to work in his garage .
Despite being paralyses Stephen Hawking became the most intelligent living mind on earth .
Rabindra Nath Tagore left his family and dropped his collage to write poems. (and was rewarded noble prize in literature for it).
You will find many more in history and also around you.
The need to actualisation your true potential is the driving force necessary to achieve your objective.
It is also the way to achieve true happiness ‘satisfaction’. The satisfaction of successfully achieving something, of making world a neither place of the coolest feeling you can have.
It have meaning to your life as will. It makes like worthy. Self actualisation helps you to find your hidden talent and establish your place in this world.
So the simple way to do something great, more importantly feel great in your heart is self actualisation.
If you wanna be great, whenever there is a conflict between different needs choose self actualisation.
The choice of course can be difficult and risky. But remember that ‘many a times it is not the destination but rather the journey that makes a person great’.
Hope you liked the article. Thanks for reading. Have a eventful life.