Abraham Maslow was wise beyond his time.
He created a simple hierarchy that categorizes the needs of every human being. The hierarchy indicates that the highest level of achievement is self-actualization. But it also reminds us of the necessity of maintaining our most vital physical needs.
On a most basic level, we are required to satisfy our needs for food, water, and air. It is only when these basic needs are met that we can turn our thoughts to higher needs, such as love and acceptance.
As each of these needs is fulfilled, some of us reach a point of restlessness. It is at this point that we begin to seek higher goals of personal fulfillment. We attempt to grow beyond what we currently are and we strive to fulfill our highest potential. This is what Maslow termed self-actualization.
It is self-actualization that many of us seek. Achieving this state of fulfillment, however, involves more than having success in the workplace or the admiration of others. It is a goal that each of us can achieve through different methods and with drastically different results.
But Maslow was smart enough to recognize the flaws inherent in the natural man. He recognized that we often obsess about our goals and leave behind other matters which are vitally important.
According to Maslow:
If they [we] are dominated by a higher need, this higher need will seem to be the most important of all. It then becomes possible, and indeed does actually happen, that they may, for the sake of this higher need, put themselves into the position of being deprived in a more basic need.
This is exactly what so many of us have done today. We have effectively turned the hierarchy up-side-down. Whereas human beings once spent a majority of their time in a physically active state of seeking food and water, these needs are now met as more of an afterthought.
We are irresistibly drawn to fast foods and packaged meals which grant us ever more time to pursue our lofty goals. We have delegated our diet and our health to companies who specialize in providing convenience more than providing nutrition. Our sedentary lives are draining us of all of our energy.
Strengthening the Foundation
The beauty of Maslow’s hierarchy is that it not only points us towards self-actualization, but it also reminds us of the necessity of our basic needs. Using the analogy of a pyramid helps to remind us of the importance of a solid foundation.
How can the top of a pyramid ever be supported if the base is eroding away? If the foundation deteriorates, the whole structure must unavoidably fall with it.
Maintaining your health through physical exercise is necessary to fortify your foundation. Different levels of physical activity obviously lead do different health levels, but an outstanding physique can be achieved using a 1.5-3 hours per week training program.
Here are a few of the most basic guidelines that will help you on your journey:
- Eat right: This means avoiding soft-drinks, fast food, and sweets. Eat vegetables, proteins, and carbohydrates with every meal. Stop eating when you begin to feel full, not when you are totally stuffed.
- Lift weights: Yes, your body needs weight training to stay healthy and to burn your body fat efficiently. This is just as important for women as it is for men. Far too many women are languishing without enough muscle on their bodies and suffer the side effects as a result. Sensible training will not cause women to become big like men.
- Do cardio: 3 times a week will help you to maintain your cardiovascular health and burn off some of your daily calorie intake. You can do it right after lifting weights if you desire.
- Do not diet: When I say this, I mean that the positive changes you make should be lifelong changes, not short-term diets. Never skip meals or let yourself go hungry. This will cause your body to go into starvation mode and it will save what you eat as fat on your body. Better to eat more and burn more.
- Ignore the fads: The fancy diets and magical pills seldom have much to offer. They are catering to our natural desire to have a complicated, yet easy solution to our problems. Instead, realize that a healthy lifestyle involves simple actions that are not always easy to do.
Maslow’s advice is more applicable today than it ever has been. Maintaining our physical health is absolutely necessary to keep our journey towards self-actualization on a firm foundation. Make the investment in your physical health, and you will continually receive dividends throughout the other facets of your life.
Written for PickTheBrain by Jason Tinder. He runs a blog about health, fitness, and training in the gym at World Fitness Network.
(14 votes, average: 4.64 out of 5)
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This is a nice article. It reinforces the principles of the mind, body, and spirit being all connected. With a poorly maintained body, the mind and spirit will eventually crumble.
I’d like to also add proper rest and sleep to the list.
Good article. Keep up the good work
Since of late I have gained a few pounds and have been trying to loose it. Eating right is something I have difficulty with a lot. Temptation.. and with x’mas coming along.. gosh.. its not easy
Really good points. I like the last point “ignore the fads”. There is always a new way to do the things, but the basics are so important.
AI- Good point, proper rest is essential. You make your gains after you exercise and your body recovers, not while you workout.
George- Yeah, it’s sad that the basics that actually work aren’t exotic enough to attract people, so we go chasing after the fad diets and programs.
I really like this post. I also see that once someone experiences growth at the top, the model often gets turned up-side-down to re-examine methods for getting our basic needs met. For example, if we see sustainability and wellness as higher goals of personal fulfillment, it is natural to assme that we will choose forms of nourishment that are aligned with our convictions.
[…] Why Self Actualization Requires Exercise […]
Hi Jason,
Great application of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in a health and fitness context. Very creative as well.
The article caught my eye because I have coincidentally wrote an article using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs applied in the context of work and passion. Just click on my name to read the article.
Great minds do think alike
[…] Self Actualization Requires […]
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Actually, it’s a pretty good idea to stick to the basics for a while. I thought I wanted a complicated and fast-paced life but I realize that there is no real life in such. It gets tiring after a while. Simple living can be very exciting, too. Ironic as it sounds.
I recently wrote about healthy living in my latest ebook, Work in Progress:
“Healthy living has become increasingly popular recently. And that’s definitely a good thing. Regular exercise and a balanced diet leave us feeling (and looking) good. But not many people follow this advice.
What’s up with that? Why would anyone not want to invest in something they know will pay dividends a thousand times over? I guess it’s because most people simply have no reason. They think of all the hard work and sacrifice it takes and then simply give up in advance. That’s why it’s important to have a good reason in the first place. Why comes first; how comes second.
My reasons for living a healthy lifestyle are simple. I want to look as good on the outside as I feel on the inside. Keeping that in mind is the reason I’m able to exercise regularly, even on days I’d much rather stay cuddled up in bed. It’s also the reason I’m able to avoid all those tempting chocolate bars at the supermarket checkout, as much as is humanly possible!”
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Great post, inspired me,
To your success,
Tracy ho
www.wisdomgettingloaded
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Absolutely true that maintaining our health is the most important prerequisite to fulfilling self-actualization! I can’t imagine being absolutely successful but without the physical health to enjoy what we have achieved.
Ignore the fads? Yeah. I think so, too. That was a good point you raised. I believe that not all trends should be followed. Just stick to the basics, right? That will do the trick.I hope more and more people will realize that this is how things should be.
Interesting article. I’ve been writing about my new year resolutions in my blog, and I realize now that the themes of the lower levels of Maslow’s pyramid run through most of my resolutions.
Before reading this article, I never considered the fact that, since we don’t need to worry about or concentrate on the lower four levels anymore, it’s easy to end up neglecting them.
Striving for self-actualization is a good thing, but we have to build a strong base first.
This is a good post touching upon our basic and higher needs. Keeping it sensible, short and simple when it comes to altering our diets and level of activity is explained in a balanced manner.
I’m a big fan of Maslow. Physical exercise for health and mental health makes a ton of sense. I guess it all gets back to time allocation, motivation, and drive.
Thanks for an enlightening post!
Thank you for this post. I heard about Abraham Maslow from Anthony Robbins. I appreciate the additional information.
I think Maslow’s hierarchy is so interesting, and it comes up all the time. So true about turning the pyramid upside down — great article!
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women weight lift…
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You turned one of life’s greatest philosophies and flipped it into a weight loss program. Very original.
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