Maslow's Hierarchy Sings at the Top
... and screams in the middle
The image of Maslow’s pyramid suggests that, once a given level is satisficed, you ought to only focus on the next.
It’s quite apt for the average man. The average man lives in stasis - he works more or less the same job, keeps the same company, bears the same brunt. Once he achieves “good enough” in a given dimension, that’s it.
For a man engaged in self-overcoming, who places ever-increasing demands on himself - those working on early stage startups, for instance - it’s different. Satisfaction is a fleeting notion.
If you’re making 5 medium-stakes decisions a day, you may do just fine with 7 hours of sleep. When making 100 high-stakes choices a day, though, you might need 8 and a half hours to even stand a chance.
”I’m the kind of guy who only needs 7” - maybe you were. Back before the demands on your body and intellect dectupled. Might I suggest you stand to profit from humbly investigating where you land now?
Hubris and inflexibility kill when the world around you changes, fast. Most people are hubristic. Perhaps it’s unsuprising that most founders fail.
Think you’re not hubristic? I’d bet you’re atheist. Life is easy now for the average Joe, but back when farmers worked 14 hour days just to eek our survival, many found religion/spirituality quite useful. If you’re entirely closed off to the possibility that spirituality might also benefit you, were demands to be ramped up sufficiently high, yeah you’re hubristic.
I’m not saying founders who don’t practice are NGMI. But if you’re too prideful to even consider how (lack of) e.g. spiritual practice is impacting you, what other Achilles’ heels are you too prideful to see?
If you’re pushing yourself, find the rate-limiting step. Walk Maslow’s pyramid up and down, don’t lounge at the top.