Maslow who is famous for his self-actualisation model, also mentions courage in relation to growth and safety needs.
To remind us, Maslow’s suggested we have a hierarchy of needs, and life is about meeting our lower needs before we can move to the higher needs of self-actualisation.
Thus, we need to meet our Physiological Needs (for example of food, sleep and shelter) before we can look to fulfil our Safety Needs (like personal, emotional and financial security).
Only then we can look to our Love Needs from friends and family, followed by our Esteem Needs.
Finally, if we have those levels met (at least in some way), we can look to our Needs for Self-Actualisation. These are related to pursuing goals, developing our talents, growing our relationships.
Maslow says a gap forms when our growth forces find themselves up against the equally powerful safety forces (as in our fears). If we are to grow, we need to move across this gap.
And courage helps us take the leap!
To understand the relationship between fear and courage, we just need to look at the person who remains stuck from fear, versus the person who is unleashed and becoming more of all they can be.
Action: When do you experience this difference between your fear, and your courage?
