If you took an introductory psychology or marketing course, you probably learned about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs which explains how human motivation impacts our lives.
Maslow’s theory applies to many disciplines, including education, businesses, and marketing where motivation training can lift individuals to their highest potential.
The first four levels deal with deficiency needs which individuals should reasonably complete before rising to the highest level of self-actualization, referring to personal growth needs.
Like most living things, humans are motivated first and foremost by our survival. It would be hard to excel at anything else without satisfying our living needs.