Do you ever feel like there’s a more empowered version of yourself waiting to take centre stage, but something holds you back? A feeling that you’re on the brink of unlocking a new, thriving phase of your life, but you just need the right tool to help you get there?
Many women feel the same way, and the solution may lie in understanding a time-tested psychological concept and reapplying it through the lens of self-leadership.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: A Quick Recap
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a well-known psychological theory that explains human motivation and behaviour. Here’s a breakdown:
Physiological Needs (Bottom Level):
These are the most basic and essential needs for our survival, including food, water, and shelter.
Safety Needs:
Once our physiological needs have been met, we begin to seek security and stability. This includes our personal and financial security and our health and wellness,
Love and Belonging Needs:
The next level encompasses our interpersonal relationships such as friendships, romance, family, and a feeling of being connected and belonging with others.
Esteem Needs:
This tier considers our need for respect, recognition, and self-esteem, where we seek mastery, achievement, status, and responsibility, and usually want to be recognised by others for our accomplishments.
Self-Actualisation (Top Level):
This is the realisation of personal potential, self-fulfilment, and personal growth. At this stage, we’re looking to become the best version of ourselves, actively pursuing study and creative and adventurous activities that stretch and challenge us.
When Maslow died in 1970, ideas about a 6th level, self-transcendence, were discovered in his journals and unpublished essays. He suggested this stage involves connecting to something beyond ourselves, something that transcends our benefit, something that is for the greater good of humanity or the planet, or a higher spiritual understanding.
I believe this shift from seeking personal fulfilment to considering how we can contribute to the broader universe and the well-being of others is made possible when we lean into self-actualisation – actively embracing and leveraging who we are.
Self-effacement, downplaying your capabilities and successes, or acting as though your talents or strengths are insignificant does not serve anyone! Failing to recognize and step into your full potential can hinder both your growth and the positive impact you can make.
As Marianne Williamson so famously said:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate,” Williamson writes in A Return to Love. “Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.”
Self-leadership facilitates self-transcendence
If the term “self-transcendence” doesn’t resonate with you, let’s simply replace it with more well-known aspirations – making an impact, or making a difference.
Just about every woman I have worked with over the past 20 years shares her desire to make a difference or to increase her impact. I have never heard an ego assertion in these desires, rather there is a genuine passion to address an issue and/or to share her own hard-won lessons that can shorten and sweeten the journey for others. Equally, these women rarely elevate money to the position of chief motivator on their quest.
There is simply a genuine, robust, desire to help, in her own unique way.
There is another whole conversation to be had about pay parity, and the mistake of equating the value you create and absolutely deserve to be richly compensated for with your self-worth – I promise I’ll look at these issues through the lens of self-leadership in another post and in the self-leadership Sessions!
I know without a doubt that the principles and practices of Self-leadership facilitate these goals.
While some might suspect self-leaders as being self-centred, it is actually a process of personal growth and development that leads to the ability to contribute to others.
Self-leadership is all about owning your authority. Seeing yourself clearly. Feeling doubt and taking action anyway. It emphasises personal responsibility, self-motivation, and self-awareness. It encourages you to recognise your strengths, set meaningful goals, and focus on reaching your potential.
A Self-leader can dream and then act on those dreams.
Claim your power and thrive
In a world that often pushes us to play small and doubt our capabilities, it’s time to reclaim our power and thrive.
Embracing self-leadership is not about being self-centred or arrogant; it’s about recognising your worth, pushing past doubts, and leading yourself towards both self-actualisation and self-transcendence. Your unique strengths and dreams are valuable, and the world needs them.
Join me in the Self-leadership Sessions, where we’ll engage in weekly group experiences of learning, growth, and collaboration. As a collective, we’ll build your self-leadership skills, enabling you to step into your full potential, make a difference, and shine your light.
Register now for the Self-leadership Sessions here and begin your next level of growth.
