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1. Why the Pyramid of Needs is Obsolete – and the "Need Boat" is the Better Map for Your Life

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1. Why the Pyramid of Needs is Obsolete – and the "Need Boat" is the Better Map for Your Life

(This is Part 1 of our 4-part series: More than Just a Pyramid)

What do we as humans really need? This question is absolutely central when we think about personal growth, healing, or change. The most famous answer to this is usually an image: the pyramid of needs. But today, I want to explain to you why this pyramid might not be the most helpful metaphor for thinking about needs.

In this article, we lay a new foundation. We'll look at what needs really are, why the image of a pyramid is misleading, and introduce a more powerful, true-to-life metaphor: the Need Boat.

What Are Needs, Really?

The simplest perspective on needs is that they are what we need – not just want, but require for our psycho-biological well-being. If these needs are not met, our entire system goes into stress.

Imagine hunger as an example. When you're hungry, your entire world narrows to this one topic. Your perception divides the world into "edible" and "not edible." Your nervous system is activated, stress hormones are released, and you might get "hangry." Your system constantly monitors whether your needs are met. If they are, your world is wide and you are relaxed. If they are not, your system sounds the "Alarm!" and your world becomes narrow.

Needs are therefore not specific desires ("I want chocolate") or strategies ("Mom, make me something to eat!"), but the deeper core behind them – in this case, the need for food

The Problem with the Pyramid

Most of us learned about the teachings of Abraham Maslow, one of the founders of the needs perspective, through the pyramid of needs. But this image has a few catches.

First: Maslow himself never drew a pyramid. It was later developed and popularized by a business consultant.

Second, and more importantly: The pyramid is not very helpful as a metaphor.

  • It conveys the idea of a video game where you unlock level after level. As if you first have to completely fulfill your security needs before you can turn to social needs.

  • It suggests that our basic needs eventually go away. As if you reach a state of self-actualization where you no longer need security or connection. That's simply not true. We will all need security and connection for the rest of our lives.

A New Metaphor: Your Need Boat ⛵

That's why I want to offer you another image, based on the work of Scott Barry Kaufman, who connected Maslow's work with modern research.

Imagine life is an infinite, unpredictable ocean. On this ocean, we need a boat to navigate safely and move forward. This boat – that's your needs and your ability to meet them. It is your psycho-biological organism, with all your abilities, beliefs, and experiences.

This metaphor is more dynamic and realistic. Sometimes the waves are high, and you have to take care of your boat's stability. Sometimes the sea is calm, and you can set the sails to discover new horizons. Your boat always needs both: a stable hull and a functioning sail.

The Two Parts of Your Boat

The Need Boat consists of two basic parts, which represent different types of needs.

1. The Hull: Your Security Needs

The hull is what gives you stability and keeps you afloat. It stands for your basic or security needs. They are also called deficiency needs, because if they are not met, we experience a deficit, and our world immediately narrows. The question here is: Am I safe? Can I survive?. This includes three core areas:

  • Security: The feeling of being sheltered, provided for, and in a predictable world.

  • Connection: The knowledge of being socially connected and not excluded, as well as having meaningful encounters with others.

  • Self-Worth: The fundamental feeling of being valuable as a person at your core.

2. The Sail: Your Growth Needs

The sail is what moves you forward and gives your life direction and meaning. It stands for the growth needs, which Maslow grouped under the term "Self-Actualization." These needs automatically arise when our basic needs are sufficiently met. While a lack of security creates stress, a lack of growth leads to feelings of emptiness and meaninglessness. This is about being fully human.

In the next article in this series, we will dive deep into the hull of your boat. We'll take a close look at the needs for Security and Connection and explore what you really need to feel stable and held in the ocean of life.

Sources

Glossary