Maslow's Theory Returns in an Important New Book

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Transcend was originally released in the Spring of 2020 when most of us weren’t thinking about transcending much besides the grocery line for canned goods and toilet paper. Transcend is now in paperback. As the world reawakens, you can awaken as well with this inspiring new book on Maslow’s theory written by Scott Barry Kaufman, Ph.D.

I’ve had an interest in Maslow since my graduate school days in the early '90s. I came to Personality Psychology with wide-eyed wonder and a big question: How and why do people see the world differently? It seemed that no two people saw the world exactly alike. I wanted to know why. Ultimately, I wanted a theory and a set of principles that would explain it all. Now 30 years later, I haven’t found any absolute answers, and my ambition is much more modest. But to this day, Maslow’s theory has given me the best framework to understand how motivation can alter our perception of reality. I discuss this in my post, “A Powerful Way to Understand What Motivates You.”

Abraham Maslow developed one of the most important and valuable theories of motivation.

I am thrilled to see Kaufman’s book gaining popularity. As a successful Podcaster, psych maven on Twitter, and all-around good guy, Kaufman introduces a new generation of psychology readers to an essential and enormously valuable theory to maximize their potential. Kaufman has clarified and expanded Maslow’s most important ideas. Transcend combines sound science with practicality and humanity. This is a book about humanistic psychology written by a psychologist whose humanity resonates on every page.

You are probably familiar with the pyramid depiction of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs found in many psychology textbooks and social media memes. It’s easy to equate this with climbing a mountain base from the basic needs of physical health, safety, belonging, and esteem to reach the summit of self-actualization. Kaufman reminds us that life is not a video game where we complete each level and unlock the next until we’ve reached the top and won the self-actualization prize. The pyramid is an over-simplification of a complex theory. And, Maslow never actually created a pyramid to represent the hierarchy of needs.

Kaufman suggests a sailboat instead. A sailboat is more flexible and functional. Life is a vast ocean, full of new opportunities for meaning and discovery but also danger and uncertainty. The bottom of the boat represents your basic needs for safety, connection, and self-esteem. Without a solid base, you can’t sail very far. Most of your energy and focus are directed toward maintaining the stability of your boat. In this way, people can get mired by insecurity throughout their lives. They can miss out on much of the beauty and goodness in the world as a result. But we can also be incredibly resilient. Like a sailboat on an ever-changing sea, you can find the potential for momentum even under adverse conditions.

Kaufman points out that it is not the level you climb on the pyramid but the integration of your needs that provides stability for your sailboat. Using this metaphor, we can understand how some people cope better with challenges than others. We are each traveling in our own direction on the same unknown sea of life, but we have built different boats depending on our developmental experiences.

Self-actualization may be more common than Maslow originally thought. Maslow believed that only about 1 percent of the population ever reached self-actualization. The demographics of those who made it to the top were a bit controversial – suggesting that privilege played a considerable role. Kaufman has leveled the playing field by claiming that growth is at the heart of self-actualization. “Growth is a direction, not a destination.” The sailing part of the metaphor is where the growth needs of exploration, love, and purpose come in. Transcendence, similar to “peak experiences,” is a state that you can experience now and then when your basic needs don’t drive you so, and you’re moving purposefully in a direction with the spirit of exploration, love, and purpose.

Transcend is a wonderful book that’s grounded in science, practicality, and hope.