The Hidden Peak of Human Potential Is This...

Chances are, you’ve seen this diagram before:

This is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and its one of the most famous models of motivation in psychology. It shows you the different layers of human need, from basic survival and safety to love, esteem and eventually self-actualization.

The general idea is that our more fundamental needs tend to demand our attention before we can devote ourselves to growth, meaning and becoming who we are capable of becoming.

This model has been praised, criticized, debated, challenged, revised, clarified and everything in between. And to this day, its popularity shows no sign of slowing down.

The word “self-actualization” has entered our vocabulary as the ultimate goal of personal evolution. Self-actualization is the stage at which we continually strive towards our full potential as human beings. Our underlying needs are reasonably met, and we are now playing with house money - reaching for the stars while having a firm base as a launching pad.

So it would make sense that self-actualization would be at the very top of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, right?

Well, just one problem: it actually wasn’t.

Almost all the diagrams you see today would not be approved by Maslow himself, because he considered the pinnacle of human potential and striving to be something else.

That pinnacle is what we’ll be learning about today, dear readers.

So put on your metaphorical hiking gear. We are scaling Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs all the way to the top.

Ready? Let’s go.