March 2, 2009

Have You Reached Self-Actualization?

Hi there! This week in Part 17 of our FinerMinds series on Becoming Just Awesome is all about Self-Actualization – the term popularized by American psychologist Abraham Maslow, the father of humanistic psychology.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory placed self-actualization at the final level of psychological development, something that can be achieved when all other basic and meta needs–physiological, safety, love/belonging, and esteem–are fulfilled. When these basic needs are met, the ‘actualization’ of a person’s full personal potential can take place.

A large part of self-actualization is letting go of the need to please others. Some call it the “freedom from the good opinion of others.” When you play the people pleasing game you lose power. People pleasing sucks energy – think about all the time people spend trying to get attention, seek approval or gain recognition. You must recognize that you cannot control what others think about you.

Your objective must be self-approval.

But being self-actualized is more than the absence of people pleasing. Those who reach self-actualization are characterized by certain behaviors. Common characteristics of those who are self-actualized include:

  1. Being spontaneous and living in the moment
  2. Acceptance of themselves and others (a lack of prejudice)
  3. Embracing reality and facts rather than denying the truth

To learn about how you too can become self-actualized, watch the following short video. Enjoy!

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26 Responses to Have You Reached Self-Actualization?
  1. Bindya
    March 2, 2009 | 8:22 am

    Ver informative and helpful video. I would certainly like to see more of these.

    thank you

  2. Dean W
    March 2, 2009 | 10:09 am

    Awesome video. Short and to the point with lots of ideas to implement. Very informative.

  3. Paul
    March 2, 2009 | 1:34 pm

    Interesting

  4. Wendy
    March 2, 2009 | 6:32 pm

    Self-actualisation is an excellent video. All my life so far I have been living to please others, gain their approval and perform to their satisfaction. Now that I am retired I am concentrating on learning about self-development, and I only wish I had known all that I know now many years ago. It would have saved me so much struggle, anxiety, depression and dissatisfaction with my own life.

  5. Kevin
    March 3, 2009 | 12:53 am

    Having a purpose.

  6. Ian
    March 3, 2009 | 3:11 am

    Great information, but please get a new moderator. She’s dreadful with a tone of voice that is commenting endlessly. A professional moderator would be so much easier to listen to.

  7. Richard
    March 3, 2009 | 4:55 am

    Stupid, pointless and meaningless blabbering. It says absolutely nothing. Babble and nonsense.

  8. James
    March 3, 2009 | 6:01 am

    It just goes to show that you only get out of something what you put into it. Rubbish in, rubbish out. Thought creates reality and everything happens for a reason. I’m not sure I agree with the comments about hypnosis though, as it has been proven to be hugely beneficial and the subconscious mind can be reprogrammed to be more positive and this aids conscious effort.

  9. marina
    March 3, 2009 | 6:12 am

    that was good, thanks

  10. John R#70
    March 3, 2009 | 8:23 am

    great — I learned that in college psych 101
    lol heck — thenka s a lot — john r 370

  11. Fred
    March 3, 2009 | 9:36 am

    Wish it was just a read thing. Why is everything on video?

  12. justin hess
    March 3, 2009 | 7:52 pm

    Thank you for that.Maslow is famous for good reason.
    More and more reasons to live in the NOW.

  13. Kit
    March 3, 2009 | 9:51 pm

    The info was good.
    I found the presentation had too much emphasis
    on too many words — somewhat patronising.

    Is man basically good or is he evil?
    How about some inclusive language.
    Get with it sister!

  14. Suzanne
    March 4, 2009 | 9:33 am

    I thought the video was wonderful. Packed with great as well as accurate information and delivered by a very clear and interesting speaker.
    I will be back. :)
    Thanks for this wonderful gift,
    Suz

  15. Diana
    March 4, 2009 | 8:54 pm

    Excellent, Right to the point.

  16. drew
    March 5, 2009 | 8:28 am

    I thought the video was very informative and helpful. I am dealing with a lot of issues all stemming from me not truly knowing who I am or what I want in life.

  17. Rose
    March 6, 2009 | 7:58 pm

    It was interesting. I enjoyed it. I think a lot of us are caught up in our own little world and miss a lot in life.

    Rose

  18. larry peters
    March 6, 2009 | 10:31 pm

    i think it was great.

  19. anne
    March 7, 2009 | 11:13 pm

    The information was excellent,but the speaker needs to lower the pitch of her voice and work on the rhythum of her words.

  20. Peter-Jon
    March 9, 2009 | 8:15 pm

    One word: self-mastery
    Take time for the NOW and let go of the external forces that are holding you down (people, money, gods).
    Be free of mind and be free to live your life.
    The force of your consciousness is within you not outside of you. The right actions are made inside and manifested in the outside.
    We need to think and take actions.
    If one is missing, we might just go in circle.
    Learn the dynamics and learn to fly (even without wings)

  21. Carli Bauzá
    March 9, 2009 | 10:37 pm

    Very informative video. Thanks for posting!

  22. Josie Clowes
    March 13, 2009 | 10:41 am

    After having to do yet another course and write another assignment on Maslow, 7 in 10 years, I was beginning to think I must know about Maslow than Maslow himself.

    But this was really enjoyable to watch. How could I have missed that self actualisation is in line with American Monk bagha tecniques.

    Just going have to send this to my DTTLS (teacher training) tutor and peers.

    Where is the Carl Rogers video

  23. cale
    March 17, 2009 | 12:01 am

    very imformative and nteresting . very much got myattention speaker dd great job and is hot attractive verythanks

  24. brian dixon
    April 16, 2009 | 8:27 am

    when you do just realise, it is an amazing feeling, an amazing experience. you just see it so clear and it makes so much sense, everything just makes so much sense.

  25. Lydia sutton
    December 11, 2009 | 8:12 am

    My comment is do you use the finerminds application in your practice?

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