Effective Consciousness and Self Development The Hierarchy of Needs

In analyzing self-development, we need to analyze and categories the different stages of humans basic needs and wants. This can be enumerated in a form of a pyramid of man’s needs and wants.

At the bottom of the pyramid is what we would consider as man’s very basic needs. These basic needs are mainly food, water, shelter and the like. These are what we consider necessities in order for man to exist. They form the bottom of the pyramid, which is also the biggest portion of the pyramid, because of their importance to man’s existence.

The next level of the pyramid is a combination of man’s needs and wants. It is composed of what we need to exist but it also includes our specific preferences regarding our needs. This mainly refers to our need to gain certain material things that give us fulfillment.

A perfect example of this is when we start earning a living and in accomplishing this, we surround ourselves with items that establishes the fact that we are earning a living. We buy clothes, furniture, appliances, etc. that reflect our taste and preferences and also our present status in life. We may also get married and/or start a family if that is part of our list of preferences.

The next stage of the pyramid delves more on immaterial wants but which are indirectly linked to the previous material wants. This is the stage wherein man looks for affirmation from his fellow man by aiming to achieve goals that will be recognized by others. Examples of this are getting a promotion from your job, starting your own business, winning in a sports tournament. Although in most cases material gain is also achieved in these endeavors, they are, most often not the main goal of the achiever. The main goal and the need or want satisfied at this stage is recognition.

The next and ultimately the last stage or the tip of the pyramid is when the needs and wants are of a more personal nature. This stage is when fulfillment is gained not by getting affirmation from others but by merely getting fulfillment from one’s self. One’s goals are no longer connected to what others will recognize or affirm. One’s goals are now based on what will make him or her happy regardless of what others might think.

In most cases, people who reach this stage are, in the onset considered going against the existing social norms or society itself. But in most cases, once they achieve their goals, society becomes more kind to them and ends up recognizing their achievements.

Note that when one goes from the bottom stage to the next, it doesn’t follow that he or she no longer requires the needs and wants of the previous stage. What occurs is that as one goes from one stage to the next his or her needs grow to include the previous stage and the next. Also, not everybody goes through all these stages, and it is not really necessary for everyone to do so.

To achieve an effective consciousness and self-development, a person must first identify the point of the pyramid he or she is on. Upon learning this, the next step is honestly critique whether he or she is content where he or she is.

In other words moving from one stage to the next must not be forced but most be based on the person’s desire to achieve a certain level of fulfillment. Knowing where you are and how you feel about it is the start. From here, one can map out his or her growth.