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The Psychological Tool That Leads To Stronger Stakes

Sep 21, 2023
2 min read

Stakes come in a variety of different levels. A lot of times, these are kind of motivations. For example, check out Maslow's hierarchy of needs. You may have seen this in your introductory psych classes forever long ago, but this is actually really helpful for determining stakes as well because, in general, the lower down the pyramid you go, the more visceral the reaction from people.


In general, for the hierarchy, you need to satisfy the low level before moving on to the next level. Once your food and your hunger and your thirst situation is solved, okay, I need to find some shelter. And once you find some shelter, you're like, 'Hey, I want to be in the shelter with someone.' And like, as you do that, you're like, 'Hey, I want to feel more comfortable with myself.' And, say, 'Hey, I don't just want to feel comfortable myself, I want to actually start achieving some goals that I have.' Obviously there is more fluidity and there are different combinations, but I hope the idea itself is clear.


These higher-level tiers can certainly work for stakes, but one of the potential issues is that the higher up you go, the more isolated it can be because if someone is struggling with a physiological need, it can be harder for them to connect with. 'I don't feel for this character. Like, what do I care if they get the job promotion? Yeah, why do I connect with that? I'm trying to put food on my table, like I have no connection with this dude up here.'


So this can also be helpful for stakes, like when you're trying to decide on your character, be like, 'Okay, what need am I solving? Am I solving a belonging need? Am I solving something related to the character's safety? They're fearing for their life, you know, or is it something that they're trying to achieve, like a higher purpose?' And the better you can understand that motivation for your character, the better the understanding of what the stakes actually are.


 
 
 

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diVERSES and the Poet Business Institute help poets start a poetry business and go through the strategies, mindset, and resources needed to live on poetry; diVERSES and its poetry business resources were founded by poet Geoff Anderson in Columbus, Ohio, where diVERSES created and runs The Stanza, which is Columbus's first and only poetry venue.

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diVERSES helps poets and writers turn their art into meaningful, sustainable businesses. Through the Poet Business Institute, practical workbooks, workshops, and creative community, we help artists discover who their work serves, develop poetry-based products and services, and build paths toward creative and financial independence. Unlike traditional poetry resources focused primarily on publishing, literary recognition, or craft, diVERSES helps poets explore how their art can meet real needs in the world—and how they can build a livelihood around it.

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diVERSES represents a resource to find poetry business mentorship, learn how to monetize poetry, explore creative entrepreneurship for poets, and discover how to build a career around art.

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