Self Actualization

1. Self-Actualization Internet Research by D Kambarami 1
Self-Actualization – Internet Research
By
Denford Kambarami
Contents
1.1 Self-Actualization-An introduction.................................................................................................................1
1.2 Characteristics of Self-Actualized People.....................................................................................................2
1.3 How to self-actualize ....................................................................................................................................4
1.4 Examples......................................................................................................................................................5
1.5 References...................................................................................................................................................5
1.1 Self-Actualization-An introduction
The process of establishing oneself as a whole person, able to develop one's abilities and to understand
oneself
It is important to note that self-actualization is a continual process of becoming rather than a perfect state one
reaches of a 'happy ever after' (Hoffman, 1988).
A self-actualizer is a person who is living creatively and fully using his or her potentials. What a man can do,
he must do.
Self-actualization is the process of manifesting possibility into actuality; turning our potential into reality.
Self-Actualization is the realization or fulfillment of one's talents and potentialities, esp. considered as a drive
or need present in everyone.
Self-actualizers feel finally themselves, safe, not anxious, accepted, loved, loving, and alive, certainly living a
fulfilling life.
To be self-actualized means to understand that you must never stop growing as a person and learning as a
professional. To reach this level, you need only to accept who you are and then take the steps necessary to
becoming the best version of you that you can be. Once you are 110% comfortable with who you are, who
you've surrounded yourself with, and what you're destined to do on this earth, you may begin your journey
towards self-actualization (R. Kay Green).
You don't have to be famous to self-actualize - Will Ross
if we settle for less than our best, we’ll never be at peace – Will Sparks
"the full realization of one's potential", and of one's 'true self’ - Maslow
"What a man can be, he must be. This need we may call self-actualization...It refers to the desire for self-
fulfillment, namely, to the tendency for him to become actualized in what he is potentially. This tendency might

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be phrased as the desire to become more and more what one is, to become everything that one is capable of
becoming." – Abraham Maslow
Maslow wanted to focus on human potential, and how we fulfill that potential.
"…the desire for self-fulfillment, namely, to the tendency for him to become actualized in what he is
potentially."
"intrinsic growth of what is already in the organism, or more accurately of what is the organism itself...self-
actualization is growth-motivated rather than deficiency-motivated
Maslow used the term self-actualization to describe a desire, not a driving force, that could lead to realizing
one's capabilities.
Maslow did not feel that self-actualization determined one's life; rather, he felt that it gave the individual a
desire, or motivation to achieve budding ambitions
Maslow noted that the order in which these needs are fulfilled does not always follow this standard progression
Maslow considered self-actualizing people to possess "an unusual ability to detect the spurious, the fake, and
the dishonest in personality, and in general to judge the people correctly and efficiently.
Self-actualization is predicated on the individual having their lower deficiency needs met
the tendency to actualize itself as fully as possible is the basic drive - organismic theorist Kurt Goldstein
The tendency toward self-actualization is "the only drive by which the life of an organism is determined -
Kurt Goldstein
At any moment the organism has the fundamental tendency to actualize all its capacities, its whole potential,
as it is present in exactly that moment in exactly that situation in contact with the world under the given
circumstances
man's tendency to actualize himself, to become his potentialities - Carl Rogers
Self-actualized men and women rely on their deeper knowing of themselves so they have little need to take
on any images or pretenses - John Renesch
The word “authentic” which means real, genuine, true and accurate has great relevance to the actualization
journey
The need to be good, to be fully alive and to find meaning in life
Research shows that when people live lives that are different from their true nature and capabilities, they are
less likely to be happy than those whose goals and lives match
1.2 Characteristics of Self-Actualized People
Acceptance and Realism:
Self-actualized people have realistic perceptions of themselves, others and the world around them. Rather than
being fearful of things that are different or unknown, the self-actualized individual is able to view things logically
and rationally. Painfully aware of own imperfections, joyfully aware of own growth process. Impatient with self
when stuck, real life pain, not imagined. Philosophical acceptance of the nature of his self, human nature, social
life, nature, physical reality, remains realistically human. Awareness of one’s intrinsic capabilities. You must not
work from a standpoint of how you compare; rather, you must work from a standpoint of where you are personally
and independently of everyone else.
Problem-centering or task-centering or higher purpose
Self-actualized individuals are concerned with solving problems outside of themselves, including helping others
and finding solutions to problems in the external world. These people are often motivated by a sense of personal
responsibility and ethics. They enjoy applying their problem-solving skills to real-world situations and like helping
other people improve their own lives. Have a mission to fulfill in life or some task or problem ‘beyond’ themselves
(instead of outside of themselves) to pursue.

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Spontaneity
Self-actualized people are spontaneous in their internal thoughts and outward behavior. While they can conform
to rules and social expectations, they also tend to be open and unconventional. They have a tendency to be open,
unconventional and spontaneous. True to oneself, rather than being how others want
Solitude and Privacy or Few friends
Another characteristic of self-actualized people is the need for privacy. While they enjoy the company of others,
these individuals need time to focus on developing their own individual potential. Taking time to themselves is
essential for personal discovery and cultivating individual potential. Self-actualized people have few intimate
friendships rather than many superficial ones
Autonomy and Authenticity or Self-directed or Anti-enculturation
The self-actualized individual does not conform to other people's ideas of happiness or contentment. This original
perspective allows the individual to live in the moment and appreciate the beauty of each experience. Self-
actualizers are comfortable with their own flaws as well as the flaws in others. The self-actualized individual know
their core-nature that is unique to them, and is one of the true goals of life. Independent, not reliant on culture and
environment to form opinions and views. Similarly, they calmly accept that life is full of uncertainty and frustration.
Transcendence of any particular culture. No matter how much influence an external factor might have on the
people around you, the self-actualized remain unaffected. If you are realistic, honest, and above all, authentic,
there is nothing you can't achieve.
Continued Freshness of Appreciation
Self-actualized people tend to view the world with a continual sense of appreciation, wonder and awe. Even simple
experiences continue to be a source of inspiration and pleasure.
Peak Experiences
"Feelings of limitless horizons opening up to the vision, the feeling of being simultaneously more powerful and also
more helpless than one ever was before, the feeling of ecstasy and wonder and awe, the loss of placement in time
and space with, finally, the conviction that something extremely important and valuable had happened, so that the
subject was to some extent transformed and strengthened even in his daily life by such experiences."
Democratic world view or socially compassionate
Self-actualized people tend to treat others the same regardless of background, current status, or other socio-
economic and cultural factors. Possessing humanity.
Philosophical Sense of Humor or Non-hostile sense of humor
Self-actualized individuals generally have a thoughtful sense of humor. They are able to enjoy the humor in
situations and laugh at themselves, but they do not ridicule or make fun at the expense of another person's feelings.
Enjoy the Journey
While self-actualized people have concrete goals, they do not see things as simply a means to an end. The journey
toward achieving a goal is just as important and enjoyable as actually accomplishing the goal. Enjoy the here and
now, getting to goal--not just the result. Experience things fully, vividly, selflessly. Throw yourself into the
experiencing of something: concentrate on it fully, let it totally absorb you.

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1.3 How to self-actualize
Maslow says there are two processes necessary for self-actualization: self-exploration and action. The deeper the self-
exploration, the closer one comes to self-actualization. Individuals tend to be ignorant of what they intrinsically seek to
become, even towards the terminal phase of their long careers. The reason is that individuals tend to benchmark
themselves with others than engage themselves in a process of self-discovery. It is important that one has a paradigm
from the start of an academic journey to eventually self-actualize oneself.
Assess your life
Are you living a life that you find deeply rewarding and meaningful? This is not a "once-only" step. It's a question
you'll need to ask yourself regularly. Trying to identify your defenses and having the courage to give them up. Find
out who you are, what you are, what you like and don't like, what is good and what is bad for you, where you are
going, what your mission is. Opening yourself up to yourself in this way means identifying defenses--and then
finding the courage to give them up. A process of open self-discovery is one of introspective understanding
whereby one’s skills, abilities and aptitudes are appraised to help one discover one’s path of self-actualization.
Many times, friends, peers and mentors play a helpful role in one’s discovery process. Many times organizational
inequities, professional alienation and social scorn, when tackled with a positive mindset could lead to self-
discovery
Assess your motives
Are you holding yourself back because of fear? Base your life choices on a desire to grow, rather than as a reaction
to fear. "This ability of healthier people to dip into the unconscious and preconscious, to use and value their primary
processes instead of fearing them, to accept their impulses instead of always controlling them, to be able to regress
voluntarily without fear, turns out to be one of the main conditions of creativity."
Be willing to change.
If your life isn't rewarding you'll need to be willing to change, willing to get off your backside and take a new
direction. Avoiding pretense ('game playing') and being honest;
Take responsibility.
Don't expect others to make changes for you. It's your life and it’s up to you to make the necessary changes that
will lead to greater fulfillment. Set your aspirations in a lens that is consistent with your value systems and inner
aspirations. If you have a choice, act in a way that is honest and true to your nature. Learn to have the courage to
express your likes and dislikes and to speak up if someone’s actions are not pleasing to you.
Cherish your uniqueness or competencies
Be prepared to break away from the herd and be different. Don't be afraid to follow your impulses. Listen to your
own tastes. Be prepared to be unpopular. Being prepared to be unpopular if your views do not coincide with those
of the majority. Convert the intrinsic capabilities into tangible competencies, in the process also acquiring
synergistic capabilities. It is important to have the confidence and diligence to convert competencies into tangible
competencies. Focused expansion of knowledge rather than random acquisition of degrees and certificates would
be required.

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Realize your dreams or application
Instead of wallowing in wishful thinking, write down your goals and take the appropriate action to achieve them.
Use your intelligence, work to do well the things you want to do, no matter how insignificant they seem to be.
Leveraging your competencies to achieve one’s aspirations
Accept your fallibility
Be willing to say, "I was wrong." Be honest with yourself and with others.
Learn from the good times (Peak Experiences)
Try to repeat experiences that you find deeply meaningful or awe-inspiring or that lead to feelings of excitement,
ecstasy, humility or personal fulfillment. Make peak experiencing more likely: get rid of illusions and false notions.
Learn what you are good at and what your potentialities are not.
Join in or authentic leadership
Get involved in life. Become an active member of your community. The fundamental driver for transforming
individual self-actualization journey into broader social transformation is authentic leadership.
Look for the good in others
Every one of us has good points and bad. All too often we overlook the good and focus on the bad. Get into the
habit of looking for the good in others.
Assess your progress
Take the time to reflect on all that you've accomplished as well as to honestly assess how you can do more to
improve your life and the lives of those around you
1.4 Examples
Expressing one's creativity, quest for spiritual enlightenment, pursuit of knowledge, and the desire to give to
society are examples of self-actualization.
1.5 References
http://psychology.about.com/od/theoriesofpersonality/tp/self-actualized-characteristic.htm Accessed Mar-14
https://www.google.com/#q=what+is+self-actualization Accessed Mar-14
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-actualization Accessed Mar-14
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/self-actualization Accessed Mar-14
http://willpower.4mg.com/whatisselfactualisation.html Accessed Mar-14
http://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html Accessed Mar-14
http://psikoloji.fisek.com.tr/maslow/self.htm Accessed Mar-14
http://actualizedleadership.wordpress.com/2011/10/07/self-actualized-leadership-–-where-are-you-on-the-
hierarchy-2/ Accessed Mar-14
http://www.theleadershipnotebook.com/self-actualization/ Accessed Mar-14

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http://cbrao2008.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-journey-of-self-actualization.html Accessed Mar-14
http://www.imakenews.com/worldwit/e_article000429372.cfm?x=b11,0,w Accessed Mar-14
http://www.theworkplacecoach.com/self-actualized-leadership-a-formula-for-success/ Accessed Mar-14
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/r-kay-green/personal-development_b_2479253.html Accessed Mar-14
http://sivers.org/maslow Accessed Mar-14