Hidden Motives: The True Reasons for Our Behavior

Why do we constantly compare ourselves to others? Why is it easy and pleasant to communicate with some people, while with others it is burdensome and dull? Why do we often give up on our goals and spend little time on what is truly important to us?

Psychology doctor Angela Ahola claims that three motives have guided humans since ancient times: the need for social interaction, the desire to raise status, and the wish to acquire knowledge. Once, these helped the human species survive, and today they define our behavior and influence our relationships with others.

All our emotions and actions are determined by hidden motives. When we are upset about an unfortunate outfit or are late for a meeting, we are driven by the fear of social alienation. We strive to climb the career ladder to elevate our status. And the thirst for knowledge helps us make great discoveries but at the same time makes us dependent on gadgets and social media.

Angela Ahola explains how the need for relationships, status, and knowledge changes the chemical structure of the brain and affects hormones. And they, in turn, determine a person's actions and decisions. The author gives practical recommendations on how to make hidden motives work for you: learning to please those around you, better understanding their behavior, raising your status for your own and others' benefit, acquiring knowledge without anxiety, and limiting yourself from informational noise.