Maslow’s Hierarchy - A Different Perspective

You’ve probably heard of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, the idea that we must first meet our basic needs like food, shelter, and safety before we can think about things like love, confidence, and finding purpose in life. It’s often shown as a pyramid, starting from survival at the bottom and going up to self-actualization, becoming your best and most fulfilled self at the very top.

But here’s a thought!

What if sometimes, it works in a completely different manner?

What if chasing a dream, finding purpose, or following a passion actually helps us meet our basic needs, not the other way around?

Dreams That Feed You

Think about artists, writers, or activists who didn’t have much to start with. Some of them lived in poverty, had no stable jobs, or struggled to even put food on the table, yet they kept going because they had a bigger dream. That dream gave them strength and hope. Over time, it even helped them build a better life.

Take Van Gogh, for example. He lived in hardship for most of his life, but he kept painting. His art didn’t just help him survive emotionally, it eventually brought value to the world, even though he never saw that success in his lifetime.

Purpose Gives You Strength

Sometimes, even in the hardest times, it’s not food or shelter that keeps us going, it’s having a reason to keep going. Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist Viktor Frankl once said that people who had something meaningful to live for, “a purpose”, had a better chance of surviving extreme suffering.

His message was powerful: it’s not always survival first, purpose later. Sometimes, it’s purpose first…and that’s what helps us survive.

Chasing Passion Before Stability

Look at the world today, many people are leaving “safe” jobs to start businesses, travel, create art, or follow causes that matter to them. These decisions don’t always start with a secure income or comfort. In fact, many people risk their safety nets in order to find fulfillment. And that fulfillment becomes the fuel that eventually brings them security and stability.

Whether it’s a musician busking on the street or a young entrepreneur starting something from scratch, it’s not uncommon for self-belief and passion to come before comfort and certainty.

Spiritual Seekers and Minimalists

In many cultures, people have even chosen to give up material comfort to find peace or connect with something bigger than themselves. Monks, spiritual seekers, or even people practicing minimalism often find deep happiness in simplicity. Not because they’re poor, but because they’ve put meaning above material things.

Pyramid or Quadrant

Even Maslow himself later said that his pyramid isn’t always a strict order.

Real life is messier and overlapping. Sometimes, we crave love before we have a roof over our heads. Sometimes, we chase confidence while still struggling with safety.

After all, we are not robots climbing a ladder; we are humans, driven by many things at once.

The Transformed Model

So maybe it’s time we think differently. Contrary to the “hierarchy of needs” as a fixed linear path, start seeing it as a more flexible, a more dynamic human experience. In many cases, it’s the pursuit of a dream, a creative spark, a belief, or a deep connection that helps us fight for better conditions and build a meaningful life.

Sometimes, you don’t need to “have it all together” first. Sometimes, it’s your heart, your purpose, and your passion that lead the way — and everything else follows.

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What do you think?