On Theory of Human Motivation

Why Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is still relevant today

The other night my co-workers and I have congregated in a bar to celebrate the ending of another long week. We desperately needed a beer to wash away the tired stress, and after a third round of Ambergeddons, achieved a state of clarity that usually precedes most existential conversations. And we were about to have one, no doubt.

It started with a story of my recent trip to Istanbul, a trip I took completely on a whim and one I still remember vividly a year later. I shared with my Ambergeddon-ed co-workers that this trip was, quite possibly, the only time in recent years I felt alive. A shocking statement from a young successful corporate ladder climber: I was prepared to duck under the table for such heresy when two other brave hearts announced similar feelings of general disappointment and dissatisfaction with their life.

Don’t get me wrong, my life is very comfortable. The first one in my family to go to college, I took it a step further by getting an MBA from a top US university. The two years spent in b-school were unforgettable, with many late night discussions about changing the world, and trips to India, Japan, and Colorado with my bright, funny, smart and kind like-minded friends. But then, we graduated and the reality set in. Without even…