I recently asked the algorithm a simple question: Why do people work? Its top three answers were: to meet basic needs, to gain security, and to contribute.
The first answer caught my attention, especially because it never defined what "basic needs" actually means.
For me, basic needs are simple: food, clothing, and shelter. Others may define them differently, but I suspect that most of us living in the developed world continue working long after those needs have been met.
I know that’s true for me. I kept pursuing promotions and new opportunities well after I started to earn enough to comfortably cover my necessities. We get hired, work hard, switch jobs, chase better opportunities and—repeat the cycle.
Even if we take Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs into account, I can’t help but wonder whether meeting our basic needs is really the primary reason we work. Or have we mistaken the reasons we begin working for the reasons we continue?
I’m curious to hear your thoughts. Why do you think we continue working after our basic needs have been met?