In this post we revisit Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and why pursuing your potential and honoring your gifts are the keys to happiness.

1.  Regardless of our differences, what unites us is our shared needs.

As Maslow points out in his pyramid of needs, we all have something fundamentally human in common. We all share the same basic needs for food, shelter, water, and comfort. Not just humans, but all species.

From there our needs expand into psychological needs: Needs for love, needs to belong to a group or tribe, and the need to see ourselves learn, grow, and succeed. I go into detail about this around the 2:10 mark.

But it doesn’t end there.

2.  We have a need to self-actualize; a need to awaken our potential.

The idea here (one that most of us ignore) is that each of us has a special seed within us that longs to grow roots and flourish. A part of our very soul that begs to rise to the surface, and when we ignore it, there are problems (3:55 mark).

Or as Maslow put it:

“A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if they are to be ultimately at peace with themselves.”

I think we all know someone who feels stuck in their life. Someone who feels like they are stuck in a dead-end job, stuck in a loveless relationship, or just waking up every day into a life that is not meeting their needs.

For this reason, it’s critical that we pursue our passions, our potential, and our purpose. We go more into finding your purpose in another video. 

3.  Honor your gifts and pursue a life you love.

I want to echo what Maslow said (in case you can’t tell his teachings have had a MASSIVE impact on my life).

You have a special gift, a unique quality, skill, and ability that the world needs.

Expressing it and living it is the KEY to your happiness and greatness. Anything short of that, is you settling for less than the extraordinary life you deserve.

If you want help discovering your happiness roadmap, and some guidance into discovering your passion and purpose (career, life, or other), then you’ll love our Illuminate™ course.

See you on the path,

-Patrick