CSE120

Mid-term Research Paper – 100 points

Professor Kizzie

Institution Affiliation:

Mid-Term Research Paper

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a motivation theory in psychology that consists of a five-tier model of human needs that are often depicted in the order of their importance in a pyramid. In the hierarchy, it is mandatory for one to satisfy the needs that are found lower down the hierarchy before individuals can attend to those that exist higher up that pyramid. The needs provided for in that theory include physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. At the bottom of the pyramid are physiological needs such as food, water, warmth, and rest, which are very critical for human survival (McLeod). They are followed by safety needs that include security and safety, which ensure the wellbeing of a person. Belongingness and love needs include intimate relationships and friends that act as a support system of an individual and motivate them to realize their goals and ambitions in life. Prestige and the feeling of accomplishment that is often drawn from one’s successes and fulfillment of their life goals are considered esteem needs. Esteem speaks to one’s self-belief and confidence that they can achieve their life goals. At the top of the pyramid are self-actualization needs, which involve individuals unlocking their full potential and achieving both their short and long-term goals, which include creative activities. Esteem and self- actualization needs are combinedly referred to as self-fulfillment needs (Cherry, The 5 Levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs). My intended goal is to successfully form a morning routine, keep a journal while at it and stick to it to help me become more productive and derive more value from my time. The morning routine goal is a self-actualization goal.

As earlier stated, self-actualization points to the realization of individual potential, self-fulfillment, and seeking personal growth and peak experiences. It talks to the desire to accomplish everything that one can regardless of whether it is within or outside their capability and power; that way, one is able to become the most that they can be (Cherry). I have a powerful desire of becoming a very productive person in all aspects of my life, socially, spiritually, academically, fitness-wise, and financially.  This decision has been primarily influenced by my dedication to constantly building on my self-worth. It is the internal state of being that emanates from self-understanding, self-love, and self-acceptance(Notes: self-actualization). While I have not always been at my best place when it comes to valuing myself, I have continuously learned how to hold myself in high regard regardless of what people do or say.

I look forward to having steady regard for self-worth and holding the power to radically transform my life for the better. I yearn to achieve a level where I have a favorable opinion or estimation of myself and have unshakeable faith in myself and in my ability to follow through and get things done. I am certain that I will achieve this by working towards doubling my productivity.

I know I will successfully achieve this set goal because I am a highly determined person (Notes). When I embark on something, I never stop until it’s done. I am determined to be more productive by getting a lot more done to excel in my education and career.

While I get most of my work done daily, I am often chasing deadlines or struggling to balance my personal and social life. I end up having burnouts most of the time, which impair my productivity the following day. I am also forced to deal with having little to no sleep and accumulated fatigue that eventually wears me out and kills my productivity. The reason as to why the building of a morning routine is an important goal for me is because an organized morning routine will help me build on my discipline when it comes to aligning my work schedule with the day that lays ahead. It also involves getting up early, which means that I need to get to bed early and get adequate sleep. I am targeting a morning routine that will see me waking up early, well-rested, and refreshed for the day. One where I will be able to squeeze in a morning exercise in whatever form, it could be cardio, HIIT, or weight or resistance training. I will eat a healthy breakfast to get me prepared for the day, have morning devotion, and proceed to work on achieving the goals set for the day.

I understand that one draws immense benefits from having a solid routine and being consistent. One experiences ease and harmony in their lives, and they become more prolific. It will also involve me keeping a daily journal where I ensure that before I go to bed, I review the goals that I had set for the day and mark out those that I have achieved and my efficiency levels while at it. After that assessment, I will write down the tasks that I intend to work on the next day and goals therein that I seek to achieve. If there is a spillover from the previous day, I will list them as top of what I want to work on the next day before proceeding with the others. In the journal, I will also ensure that I document my feelings to create self-awareness and how I felt about handling the task of the days. It will also involve me writing about the lessons drawn from those tasks and how they are slowly contributing to my larger goal. Keeping a journal will allow me to align my routine and to get out of the complex scenarios that I am likely to encounter in my daily life. I will be able to unleash my creativity and enrich my personal life.

Based on the SMART procedure of setting goals, I intend to review my progress after a week and know which areas need adjustment and the areas that I have already registered success in.

Works Cited

Cherry, Kendra. “9 Characteristic of Self-Actualized People.” 17 July 2019. VeyWellMind. https://www.verywellmind.com/characteristics-of-self-actualized-people-2795963. 16 October 2020.

—. “The 5 Levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.” 03 June 2020. VeryWellMind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-4136760. 16 October 2020.

McLeod, Saul. “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.” 20 March 2020. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html#:~:text=Maslow’s%20hierarchy%20of%20needs%20is,hierarchical%20levels%20within%20a%20pyramid.&text=From%20the%20bottom%20of%20the,esteem%2C%20and%20self%2Dactualization. 16 October 2020.

Notes on Self Actualization (Week 3)

Notes on Self-Worth and Self Esteem