I’ll admit that it took taking mushrooms in college to open my mind, heart, and soul. Not coincidentally, this was also when I started microdosing Maslow (as in Abraham Maslow and his Hierarchy of Needs). I only took one psychology course in college, but I remembered that Maslow focused on “best practices” in human behavior. In contrast, Freud, Skinner, and most psychologists focused on “worst practices.” 

Many years later, I developed the business model for my boutique hotel company, Joie de Vivre, based upon Maslow and wrote a book, PEAK, How Great Companies Get Their Mojo From Maslow. The Maslow family gave me his two-volume bound journals for the last ten years of his life (only 100 copies exist). 

While Maslow may have created more controversy about his psychology theories than anyone but Freud, I was fascinated to read that—later in his life—he took the “optimystical” perspective that there were two levels above the “peak” of his five-story pyramid of self-actualization: 

- Aesthetics/Beauty 

- Self-transcendence 

Today, I feel fortunate to be at a stage in life when I feel both of these higher levels. I wish more people knew that Maslow believed that the real “peakers” had transcended themselves and were experiencing awe.

So, why am I writing about this today? Out of the blue, a compadre in a recent workshop called me “optimystical” as the perfect alchemy between practical optimism and a seeker’s mysticism. What a compliment! 

‍How could you become more optimystical?

-Chip

P.S. What are you doing for Thanksgiving week? This is such a glorious time of year to be in Baja and it’s a week when we offer our all-inclusive wellness vacation product, Re*fresh. 3 healthy meals each day. Evening alcohol. Meditation. Yoga. Mountain biking. Hiking. Light programming of MEA curriculum. In order to book, schedule a call with our team.