Why Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Is Flawed—And the Recipe for Fulfillment Instead
- Kyle Jason Leitzke
- Apr 1
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 22
Most people think of fulfillment as something they’ll reach one day—after they’ve climbed the ladder of success, achieved financial security, and built enough confidence.
This idea is deeply embedded in modern psychology, especially in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. The model suggests that until your basic needs are met—food, shelter, financial stability—you can’t truly focus on purpose, creativity, or self-actualization.
But what if that framework is actually holding you back?
What if fulfillment isn’t at the top of a pyramid, but something you can cook up in your life right now—if you know how to sustainably source and cook your ingredients?
Maslow’s Pyramid: A Recipe That’s Out Of Order
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is often presented like a step-by-step process:
🥄 Step 1: Secure basic needs (food, water, shelter)
🥄 Step 2: Find security & stability (job, financial safety)
🥄 Step 3: Build relationships (love, belonging)
🥄 Step 4: Gain self-esteem (confidence, achievements)
🥄 Step 5: Finally, reach self-actualization (fulfillment, purpose)
At first glance, this sounds logical. But there’s a problem:
It’s like trying to cook a gourmet meal without knowing your ingredients until the end - how will you know what flavors and textures go with what?
By making fulfillment the last step, this model creates three major problems:
1. It Traps You in Survival Mode
If you believe you must achieve financial security before pursuing what you truly love, you might spend years stuck in jobs or situations that drain you—delaying fulfillment indefinitely.
2. It Makes Self-Esteem Conditional
Maslow’s model suggests that self-worth comes from external achievements. But confidence isn’t something you earn after success—it’s an ingredient you cultivate while building a meaningful life.
3. It Treats Fulfillment as a Final Destination
The biggest flaw? It places self-actualization at the top, as if it’s a distant reward. But fulfillment isn’t a garnish you sprinkle on at the end—it’s something you weave into the process from the very beginning.
🔎 Imagine climbing Maslow’s pyramid, only to find a glass ceiling before reaching the top. This is why so many people—despite financial success, relationships, or status—still feel lost and unfulfilled.
The Fulfillment Code™: A Better Recipe for Life
Long before modern psychology, ancient Vedic wisdom offered a different approach—one that treats fulfillment like a well-balanced meal instead of a rigid ladder.
This approach is known as the Purusharthas: the Four Pursuits of a Meaningful Life. Instead of waiting for fulfillment, you start with Dharma (purpose) first.
The Recipe for Fulfillment:
🥄 Dharma (Purpose) – The main ingredient. Your core truth, values, and mission.
🥄 Artha (Prosperity) – The nourishing elements. The resources to live out your purpose.
🥄 Kama (Pleasure) – The flavors. Relationships, activities, creativity, and joy.
🥄 Moksha (Peace) – The final taste of balance and liberation.
This isn’t a step-by-step process—it’s a recipe where all ingredients work together.
Imagine trying to make a fulfilling dish but keeping all the spices (pleasure) and nutriets (prosperity) separate. It would be awkward, hard to digest, and not satiating. That’s what happens when people chase success without purpose—or pleasure without depth.
The Key Shift: Start with Purpose, Not Security
Instead of waiting until life is “stable” to explore your true calling, the Fulfillment Code flips the process:
✅ First, know your Dharma (purpose). What lights you up? What unique gifts do you have to offer the world? Purpose is the foundation of your recipe for fulfillment.
✅ Then, blend in Artha (prosperity) and Kama (pleasure). But don’t add these mindlessly—choose the right ingredients that align with your deeper mission. Not all prosperity is nourishing, and not all pleasure is fulfilling.
✅ Finally, let Moksha (peace) be the secret ingredient that ties it all together. True fulfillment isn’t just about achieving—it’s about moving through life with a sense of inner peace, knowing that nothing external defines your worth. Doing from a place of Being first.
“Dharma, artha, kama, mokshanam. Arogyam moolam uttamam.” — Charaka Samhita (Ayurvedic Text)
"For Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha, health is the ultimate foundation."
Why This Matters: The Four Stuck Cycles of Fulfillment
If you’ve ever felt unfulfilled despite doing “everything right”, you may be caught in one of these common stuck cycles:
❌ 1. The Security Trap – "I’ll pursue my purpose after I feel financially stable."
🔄 The result? You spend years chasing security, but never feel truly safe enough to start living your purpose.
❌ 2. The Achievement Loop – "Once I reach X milestone, I'll feel worthy."
🔄 The result? No amount of success satisfies the deeper need for alignment with your true self.
❌ 3. The Pleasure Without Purpose Cycle – "If I just enjoy life, I’ll be happy."
🔄 The result? Temporary highs (vacations, distractions, indulgences) leave you feeling empty without deeper meaning.
❌ 4. The Hustle Spiral – "I’ll find peace after I work hard enough."
🔄 The result? You burn out trying to prove your worth, without ever feeling the fulfillment you’re seeking.
💡 Breaking free requires a shift: From waiting for the right conditions → to creating fulfillment with the right ingredients.
Unlock Your Fulfillment Code
Most people chase fulfillment in the wrong order—seeking money, status, or temporary highs without anchoring in purpose. But when you start with your Dharma, everything else falls into place naturally.
To help you identify where you might be stuck, I created The Fulfillment Code Quiz™—a simple tool to uncover your next step toward more Purpose, Prosperity, Pleasure, and Peace.
🔎 Take the Fulfillment Code Quiz™ now and discover where you’re out of balance.
Final Thoughts: Fulfillment Is a Practice, Not a Destination
The biggest lie we’ve been sold is that fulfillment is something we “achieve.”
But real fulfillment is not about climbing a pyramid or reaching a final stage of success.
It’s about cooking up a meaningful life every single day—with the right ingredients, in the right proportions for YOU.
When you shift your approach - from waiting for the “right time” to crafting a balanced recipe - you unlock a life of true success, balance, and deep fulfillment.
Are you ready to break free from outdated models and start living fulfillment?
About the Author
Kyle Jason Leitzke is a former football star turned spiritual counselor, dedicated to helping purpose-driven individuals cultivate sustainable fulfillment in life, work, and relationships. Through identity work, holistic practices, and intentional action, he empowers high achievers, entrepreneurs, and leaders to align with their deepest values—without burnout or regret.
➡ Ready to embody a more fulfilling life?
📅 Book a Free Strategy Call to explore how this coaching journey can support your path.
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