What is The Hierarchy of Needs?

Hierarchy of Needs

is a simple way of explaining what people tend to seek in life, from basic survival all the way up to growth, purpose, and going beyond themselves. Maslow’s later work makes it clear he saw self‑transcendence as the highest level, above self‑actualisation, even though the famous diagram often stops at self‑actualisation.

The basic idea

The model says people are usually most focused on the needs that feel most pressing: first staying alive and safe, then love and respect, and only later deeper growth and meaning. It is not a rigid ladder, but a helpful picture of how different kinds of needs can pull attention at different times.

The classic five levels

From bottom to top:

Physiological needs – body survival: These are the “keep me alive” needs: air, water, food, sleep, warmth, and basic health. When these are shaky, most energy goes into getting enough to eat, rest, and survive.

Safety needs – feeling secure: This is the need for physical safety, stability, and predictability: a safe place to live, protection from violence, steady income, and basic order in life. When safety is threatened, worries about danger and losing everything tend to dominate.

Love and belonging – being connected: People need close relationships: family, friends, romantic partners, and communities where they feel accepted. Feeling lonely, rejected, or isolated can hurt as much as physical pain and often becomes a central concern.

Esteem – feeling worthy and capable: This includes self‑respect (feeling competent and worthwhile) and respect from others (being appreciated or recognised). When this need is active, people care a lot about achievement, confidence, and being seen as having value.

Self‑actualisation – becoming who you can be: This is the drive to use one’s abilities fully and live in a way that feels true to oneself. It can show up as creativity, deep learning, meaningful work, authenticity, and personal growth. It is less about impressing others and more about becoming a real, honest version of oneself.

Maslow also talked about cognitive needs (curiosity, understanding) and aesthetic needs (appreciation of beauty) as part of higher, growth‑oriented layers around these upper levels.

Self‑transcendence – the extra top level

Maslow later argued that there is a level beyond self‑actualisation, which he called self‑transcendence. This is where a person’s focus stretches past “my growth” to include something larger:

Caring deeply about others’ wellbeing and helping them grow.
Feeling connected to humanity, nature, or a spiritual reality.
Serving causes, values, or purposes that matter more than personal comfort or image.

In this sense, self‑transcendence is about going beyond the Ego – moving from “How do I become my best self?” toward “How can I contribute, connect, and serve something bigger than myself?”. Maslow clearly intended this as an extension of his original model, placing self‑transcendence at the new apex of the hierarchy.

How to use this idea in real life

When life feels chaotic, it is often because lower‑level needs (safety, belonging) are under threat; supporting those first can free energy for growth.
When basics are mostly met but life feels empty, attention may be asking for self‑actualisation (living more authentically) or self‑transcendence (finding meaning in connection and contribution).
People do not climb this “pyramid” in a perfect order; they often work on several layers at once and may move up or down when circumstances change.

The hierarchy of needs is a picture of human motivation, from “stay alive” to “feel safe,” “belong,” “be valued,” “be yourself,” and finally “go beyond yourself in service of something larger.”