10 Drivers For Finding Fulfillment in Life

Did you know what are the drivers to find fulfillment in life? Learn more about the 10 drivers for finding fulfillment in life.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is the foundation of this post. This post aims to help readers navigate through the hierarchy of needs. Abraham Maslow proposed a hierarchy of needs in his 1943 paper. A Theory of Human Motivation. The hierarchy has psychological or biological needs at its pyramid base. And achieving self-actualization or self-fulfillment needs at the pyramid peak.

10 Drivers for Finding Fulfillment in Life Summary

Gratitude

Selfless- Contribution

Purpose

Learning

Livelihood

Health

Relationship

Leisure

Quality of life

Self-Actualization

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs:

We founded the 10 drivers for finding fulfillment in life based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

Physiological Needs

Physiological needs are biological needs. Like food. Clothes. Shelter. And sex drive. The livelihood category of this post shall cover means for earning a living. This essentially addresses our physiological needs.

Safety Needs

The need for security and safety arises after we meet our physiological needs. We need order and predictability. Family and society provide security. Schools for education. Organized job and businesses for financial security. And adequate medical care. These are the categories in this blog that safety and security needs shall cover. Learning. Livelihood. Health. And quality of life.

Love and Belongingness Needs

After we have fulfilled physiological and safety needs. The third level of human needs arises. Love. Social relationships. And belongingness. The relationship and to some extent leisure categories essentially shall cover these needs.

Esteem Needs

Esteem falls on the fourth level in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. We classify them into two categories. Esteem for oneself. This is driven by self respect and ego. Like dignity. Achievement. Mastery. Independence. And the desire for reputation or respect from others. For example, status and prestige. These are the categories that will cover esteem needs. Purpose of life. Learning through higher education. Quality of life. Leisure. And wealth.

Self-Actualization Needs

These are the highest level in Maslow’s hierarchy. And refer to the realization of a person’s potential. Self-fulfillment. Seeking personal growth. And peak potential. These are the categories that will cover self-actualization needs. The purpose of life. Wisdom through learning. Financial freedom through wealth generation.

10 Drivers For Finding Fulfillment in Life Explained

Gratitude

“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.”

– Meister Eckhart

Gratitude is the quality of being thankful for what we have and showing appreciation towards it. There may be never ending wants in life, but gratitude teaches us is being grateful for what we have. Because there are people in the world who don’t even have what we have. So why hanker for more and more. How can we be content with what life has gifted us with? And enjoy the little things in life. 

Selfless- Contribution

“Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more.”
– Tony Robbins

Selfless contribution is the act of contributing with no expectation of getting anything in return. If we help and do something for others as our duty, we are contributing selflessly. Let’s say I exist because we exist. We live in an inter-dependent world. So we cannot incessantly only take from the world and not give back. Even if we expect nothing back, we actually become bigger and gain more by giving to others selflessly. We gain more in contentment and richness of our hearts. 

Purpose

“It’s not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something.”

– Winston S. Churchill​

The purpose is the direction in life. Finding purpose in life helps with self-realization. Without purpose, life can become a rudderless ship.

According to Greater Good “To psychologists, the purpose is an abiding intention to achieve a long-term goal that is both personally meaningful and makes a positive mark on the world.”

Learning

“Any fool can know. The point is to understand.”

– Albert Einstein​

We build skills through learning and experiences. And skills provide the foundation to earn our livelihoods.

According to Wikipedia, “Learning is gaining new understanding, knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, attitudes, and preferences.”

Livelihood

“It is more important to find out what you are giving to society than to ask what is the right means of livelihood.”

– Jiddu Krishnamurti ​

Livelihood is the monetization of our skills to earn the necessities of our life.

According to Wikipedia, “Livelihood is defined as a set of activities essential to everyday life that are conducted over one’s life span.”

Health

“It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.”

– Mahatma Gandhi​

We refer no wonder health to as wealth– we get the dividends as we age. And it takes a lot of disciplined effort to build and maintain our health.

According to Wikipedia, “Health is a state of physical, mental and social well-being in which disease and infirmity are absent.”

Relationship

“The ultimate test of a relationship is to disagree but to hold hands.”

– Alexandra Penney​

Robert Waldinger, director of a 75-year-extensive study of adult development, concluded that the most critical contributor to living a fulfilled life is strong relationships. He shared in TED Ideas worth spreading, “What keeps us happy and healthy as we go through life? If you think it’s fame and money, you’re not alone.”

According to Wikipedia, “Relationship most often refers to family relations and relatives: consanguinity; interpersonal relationship, a strong, or close association or acquaintance between two or more people; romance (love), a connection between two people driven by love and/or sexual attraction.”

Leisure

“If you are losing your leisure, look out; you may be losing your soul.”

– Logan Pearsall Smith​

How does leisure help in finding fulfillment? Leisure is the opportunity to rejuvenate. Our body, mind, and soul. It’s like the pit stops in our life and prevents us from burning out.

According to Wikipedia, “Leisure has often been defined as a quality of experience or as free time. Free time is time spent away from business, work, job hunting, domestic chores, and education, as well as necessary activities such as eating and sleeping.”

Quality of Life

“We want a world where life is preserved, and the quality of life is enriched for everybody, not only for the privileged.”

– Isabel Allende​

How does the quality of life make a difference in living a fulfilled life? Human beings co-exist in a society trying to maintain a balance with nature. According to the World Happiness Report (WHR), the 5 Nordic countries have been leading the happiness index. “Through reviewing the existing studies, theories, and data behind the World Happiness Report, we find that the most prominent explanations include factors related to the quality of institutions, such as reliable and extensive welfare benefits, low corruption, and well-functioning democracy and state institutions.”

According to Wikipedia, “Quality of life (QOL) is the general well-being of individuals and societies, outlining negative and positive features of life. It comprises the expectations of an individual or society for a good life. These expectations are guided by the values, goals, and socio-cultural context in which an individual lives.”

Self-Actualization

“Your own Self-realization is the greatest service you can render the world.”

– Ramana Maharshi

Self actualization is the realization of one’s fullest potential. Achieving our fullest potential is a journey. And this is the journey we undertake throughout our lives. It is the highest human need, as defined in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. So when we are in our death beds, this is what most people look back and ask: did we achieve our full potential in our lives? Did we live a fulfilling life? Did we follow our calling in life? And did we make any impact on the world or leave a legacy? Or just did we do all our duties sincerely with our family as son or daughter, siblings, spouse, parents or grandparents? Many also relate self-actualization to finding the ultimate truth of life or finding god. 

Conclusion

Balance the 10 drivers for finding fulfillment in life. It’s a journey of our lives. Gratitude. Selfless- Contribution, Purpose. Learning. Livelihood. Health. Relationship. Leisure. Quality of life. Self-Actualization.