Maslow's Needs - Self-Esteem

Humans are the only living organism that needs to have some sort of acknowledgement for the things that they do and the progress they are making.  Without this acknowledgment, humans cannot gain any self-esteem.  Self-esteem comes from acquiring prestige and respect from others.  Without it you don't have motivation to stand up and take action in the things you want to do.  Maslow says to accomplish these things, you have have to set goals that eventually reach to your view of a final goal.  Setting short, intermittent goals helps you realize for yourself that your making progress and getting things done.  Happiness comes from your satisfaction in the progress that your making and the maintenance of your inner motivation to reach you self-actualization.  Self-actualization takes almost a lifetime to achieve, but if you keep a solid ground of the direction you want to go in, and make short term goals that lead up to that, you will always have the self-esteem to continue.  Always strive to achieve and no matter what you individual goal is, as long as it is important to you and the people close to you understand it, it is easy to continue along with your dream.  Maslow says that that humans are wanting animals, and we always have the need to get more and do more, but it comes to a point at the end of a humans goals, self-actualization, that you can finally feel comfortable with what you have done and the life that you have created for yourself, to have that feeling alone is enough motivation to carry you through even the lowest times of your self-esteem.