Fame and fortune might be appealing, but new study findings suggest that they do little to fulfill one's psychological needs.

Competence and autonomy, on the other hand, are essential in the pursuit of happiness.

People aren't very satisfied by money, luxury, popularity, and influence, even when they get them.

"What really does it for people is engagement in self-chosen or personally meaningful activities (autonomy), in which they are reasonably effective or skillful (competence), and which also permit them to connect with or contribute to others (relatedness)."

Study results show that the students consistently identified

• self-esteem
• relatedness
• autonomy
• competence
  

Certain needs may be universal to humans in general, but the relative salience that people place on them depends on the extent to which their cultures encourage and support those needs.

People KNOW that money and notoriety aren't it. That's why we all recognize it when we hear it, why it seems to make so much sense. But we forget. We forget to check in with ourselves, to feel what's really important, what's right, what's real (a capacity we all have).

To help individuals prioritize their psychological needs, the author offers the following advice:

Step back and ask yourself "how am I feeling, is what I'm doing meaningful to me, right now?

If the answer is 'no,' make changes.

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology February 2001; 80: 325-339