Which do you want to do, Survive or Live? What do you think you’re doing right now? Are you just getting by? Are you living a life of quiet desperation? Is it a life or an existence? Do you know and understand what a real life is?

Many people today are working in jobs they don’t like, with people they don’t get on with and getting paid too little for the lifestyle they want to live.

If you’re one of those people then it’s time for some serious thinking. What does a life mean to you?

The Psychologist Abraham Maslow set out a hierarchy of needs in 1943 that is still relevant today. It’s often seen in the shape of a pyramid with each level supporting the one above. For that reason it’s very difficult (and unsustainable) to rise to a higher level without achieving the ones beneath.

These are the needs, from the basic to the higher levels:-

• Physiological Needs (warmth, shelter, food)

• Security Needs (protection from danger)

• Social Needs (love, friendship, comradeship)

• Ego Needs (self respect, personal worth, autonomy)

• Self Actualisation Needs (full potential, purpose, personal growth)

Most people in the Western world manage to fulfil the first two needs. In many poorer countries even these are difficult to do.

Unfortunately, most people who are fulfilling these needs often take them for granted. They don’t appreciate their quality of life compared to those who are living on less than $1 a day and they continually complain about how hard their life is.

Ironically, it’s this very complaining that can prevent you from rising to the higher levels. If you’re not satisfied with your own life and all you do is complain then you’re unlikely to develop or maintain strong relationships.

If you can’t develop strong relationships or healthy attitudes then you’re unlikely to develop strong self respect or personal worth. And without these, your personal growth or fulfilment is going to stay out of reach.

So, what’s this got to do with finance? Well, obviously at the lower levels your finances determine your ability to satisfy the physiological and security needs.

If you get to a level of satisfaction with these, and you can begin experience life beyond them, then your social needs naturally strengthen.

As you develop your finances, you feel more in control and you lessen your stress. Then you are better positioned to satisfy your ego and self actualisation needs. It also puts you in the position where you're even more able to help others, perhaps fulfilling your purpose. Obviously, finance is not the only ingredient to this but it plays an important part.

Start to get a handle on your money, it's easy to understand and easy to manage when you know how. And once you can master the basics of finances it provides a springboard for so many other areas of your life. It can be the key to really living.

When you’re surviving, you sit at the bottom of the hierarchy of needs. When you’re living, you spend your time at the top. The other benefit is that you change your perspective on life as you grow and develop. You’ll look at things in new ways and discover opportunities where you could not see any before.

Start living today.

Andy Warren is a qualified chartered accountant, entrepreneur and consultant who has acquired business experience at director levels in blue chip companies, SMEs and start-ups.

He is a Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and has also trained with Anthony Robbins in the US in behavioural sciences and life skills. He has extensive knowledge, skills and experience in the field of coaching and developing human behaviour.

Andy currently writes for http://www.financialdetox.com and provides business consulting through http://www.yourexitstrategist.com.