A bold reimagining of Maslow's famous hierarchy of needs and new insights for realizing your full potential and living your most creative, fulfilled, and connected life.
When psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman first discovered Maslow's unfinished theory of transcendence, sprinkled throughout a cache of unpublished journals, lectures, and essays, he felt a deep resonance with his own work and life. In this groundbreaking book, Kaufman picks up where Maslow left off, unraveling the mysteries of his unfinished theory, and integrating these ideas with the latest research on attachment, connection, creativity, love, purpose and other building blocks of a life well lived.
Kaufman's new hierarchy of needs provides a roadmap for finding purpose and fulfillment not by striving for money, success, or "happiness," but by becoming the best version of ourselves, or what Maslow called self-actualization. While self-actualization is often thought of as a purely individual pursuit, Maslow believed that the full realization of potential requires a merging between self and the world. We don't have to choose either self-development or self-sacrifice, but at the highest level of human potential we show a deep integration of both. Transcend reveals this level of human potential that connects us not only to our highest creative potential, but also to one another.
With never-before-published insights and new research findings, along with exercises and opportunities to gain insight into your own unique personality, this empowering book is a manual for self-analysis and nurturing a deeper connection not only with our highest potential but also with the rest of humanity.
About the Author
Scott Barry Kaufman, Ph.D, is Scientific Director of The Imagination Institute in the Positive Psychology Centre at the University of Pennsylvania, where he investigates the development and measurement of intelligence, creativity and personality. He was written six previous books, including Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined. He writes the blog Beautiful Minds for Scientific American, and regularly gives keynotes and workshops on the development of intelligence, creativity and human potential.
Industry Reviews
"What a masterpiece! Maslow 2.0 a must-read for anyone who wants to understand what Maslow meant by self-transcendence. Part biography, part treatise, part how-to guide . . . I loved it!"
Angela Duckworth professor of psychology, University of Pennsylvania; CEO and founder of Character Lab; and New York Times-bestselling author of Grit
"This is the book we've all been waiting for nothing less than a breathtaking new psy chology of humanity. Kaufman will show you how to live your life to the fullest, and in the service of others all at the same time."
Susan Cain New York Times-bestselling author of Quiet
"The concept of self-actualization and the transcendent values, which include justice, beauty, meaningfulness, and wholeness, provide a blueprint for a better world. This very well-written volume not only captures Maslow's work but infuses it with the spirit of inspiration. This book is a major advance in psychology."
Aaron T. Beck, M.D. professor emeritus of psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania
"As a pioneer of humanistic psychology, Maslow is frequently referenced but rarely understood. Scott Barry Kaufman is here to change that. He does a first-rate job restoring the classic pyramid based on Maslow's own revisions and updating self-actualization in light of contemporary science."
Adam Grant New York Times-bestselling author of Originals and Give and Take, and host of the WorkLife podcast
"In this book Kaufman studies the legacy of Abraham Maslow's life's work in humanistic psychology and expands on this with his own insights and studies. The book gives us a path to self-actualization, to becoming the best person we can possibly become. In the process we discover we do this connected to others and all reality."
Sharon Salzberg author of Lovingkindness and Real Happiness
"Transcend is rich, deep, and brilliant, a pleasure to read. Scott Barry Kaufman is the new generation's leading voice in humanistic psychology, a modern-day Abraham Maslow. Updating Maslow's hierarchy of needs with modern psychology research, Transcend will help readers embark upon a journey to the upper reaches of their potential."
Emily Esfahani Smith author of The Power of Meaning
"This splendid book is a twofer. It's a retelling of the life of Abraham Maslow woven through an insightful updating of Maslow's theory."
Martin Seligman director, Positive Psychology Center, University of Pennsylvania, and author of The Hope Circuit
