Early Retirement Extreme Forums

At first sight it is a good comparison by My brain gets Itchy; ERE engages in the two lower rungs of the Maslow pyramid. So physiological and safety needs are the important basis- needs ERE can satisfy.

The further three rungs: belonging needs, esteem needs and self-actualisation are then beyond ERE. If ERE is reached, one can concentrate on the other needs.
I happened to reach FI more than a decade ago, and I wonder is it true, do I concentrate on the other needs? Do I hardly pay attention to my physiological and safety needs?
To start with the last question the answer is no. I have to work/pay attention every day on my food/fitness. It goes perhaps a bit more automatically but I have to stay aware on it to forgo bad habits. Only shelter (housing) can go on itself more or less once one has found a good place/house to live in. For safety I have not to pay much attention as I live in a rather stable safe country. But alertness stays required to environmental safety aspects.
For esteem needs, working to ERE itself is a rather good school. See the many posts about how to handle with friends, co-workers and family about working towards FI, and to forgo the belief that one has always to work hard. The sometimes jealous reactions when it comes apparent that one has own funds to live your life, without needing paychecks. I remember the reprobate reactions on stepping on to a frugal way of life.

So already on the path to ERE it is necessary to work on your esteem needs.
The top of the pyramid: self-actualisation, is in its baby stage already there. The moment you realize that there is another life possible than the standard consumer/paycheck-life and the decision that you want to reach to that other life, is the start of an important part to self-actualisation.
And then belonging, love-need. That’s so human, it is always there ere or not ere.
Conclusion: the comparison ERE= lower two rungs Maslow, is not true but it helps to think about the wide (and to me pleasant) consequences of going ERE!

I think that during the 5 odd years you are working toward ERE you would already be someone with/or develop the kind of "self esteem" needed to weather the negative reactions you tend to get from people..

J_,
Thanks for your insight.

Perhaps I should delve a little deeper to my thinking.
Yes, I do think ERE solves both my physiological and safety needs and I guess this does imply that I am indirectly defining my ERE=Lower two rungs to Maslows hierarchy met (indefinitely).
I didn't mean to imply that by meeting ones physiological and safety needs that one no longer has to pay any attention to them.
However, I see being mindful of health/exercise and diet, as a maintenance activity. For me I see it as essential, just as you do. However some, actually many, do not (evidenced by the fact that there are ALOT of people in North America that are overweight and out of shape). That's an entirely different point, since I do agree with you that this is essential
For me, being mindful of health and diet in ERE is no different than being mindful of ones investments/assets that allow one to be ERE. You certainly cannot neglect or not pay attention to either just because you have created a system (ERE) that replenishes itself. But the effort is quite minimal, and close to 'automatic'.
In conclusion, any point I was trying to make above, I disqualify by saying, everyone's definition of ERE is different and their motivation for it is unique and personal