Maslow's pyramid puts self-actualization at the top, but Stanford researcher Dave Evans says most people can't reach it. Instead of chasing one ultimate purpose, you might find fulfillment in multiple paths right now.
In the 1940s, the psychologist Abraham Maslow developed a famous theory in the shape of a pyramid. He called it the hierarchy of needs. Human beings are supposed to have basic needs like food and water. These are at the bottom of the pyramid. Way up at the tippy top, self-actualization, a sense that we're fulfilling our potential and becoming all that we can be. But lots of us spend years climbing up this pyramid only to find ourselves disappointed when we get to the top. At Stanford University, Dave Evans says this pinnacle of self-actualization probably is not achievable. That might seem like bad news, but there's an upside. We don't have to figure out the one purpose of our lives because there are many different fascinating paths that we can take. More paths than we'd be able to pursue in multiple lifetimes. So rather than trying to pursue a single path toward fulfillment, ask yourself, how can I fully be who I'm trying to be Right now. For more insights about the science of the mind, tune into Hidden Brain on Apple, Spotify, or hiddenbrain.org.
