What are the needs that you must satisfy to live a happy and fulfilling life? One of the most influential modern psychologists, Abraham Maslow tried to answer that question by creating the Maslow hierarchy of needs. It’s an important question to think about, not just because it might help you to achieve a happy and fulfilling life, but also how your actions might influence the people around you and their abilities to accomplish that. For example, we are talking about mentorship this month in our blog post, and being a good mentor could greatly influence some of the higher needs, such as belonging, esteem, and even self-actualization. If you can help the undergrad that you are mentoring find meaning in their work, which satisfies one of their higher needs, they are likely to be more productive. This podcast from Ted Radio Hour has an excellent introduction to the Maslow hierarchy of needs.
-Yulong
https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/399796647/maslows-human-needs
This post is edited by Linda Ma.
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