Self-Actualization
Self-Actualization: What It Is and Why You Need It
Table of Contents
- What is Self Actualization
- Examples of Being More Self Actualized
- How to Get There
What does it mean to be self-actualized? We’re all familiar with self-actualization, and we may even think we know what it means—we’ve certainly heard the term before—but how can we truly understand it? When you can say that you’re self-actualized, you mean that you are living your life to the fullest, you know yourself well, and you accept your strengths and weaknesses with confidence. You enjoy being who you are and will not settle for anything less than your best. But how do you get there? How do you become self-actualized?
1. What is Self Actualization
In his 1943 book, Human Potentialities, humanistic psychologist Abraham Maslow introduced a theory that came to be known as self-actualization. Self-actualization is defined as achieving your full potential—working toward personal growth through setting and reaching goals. For most people, self-actualization is part of a lifelong process; it’s typically not something that occurs once.
2. Examples of Being More Self Actualized
People who are self actualized don’t necessarily feel like their lives are perfect—they just feel like they’re in control of their own destinies. They may have bad days, weeks, or months; but they always bounce back because they feel empowered to make necessary changes instead of letting obstacles control them.
3. How to Get There
To achieve self-actualization, you need to develop a set of skills that will help you thrive in your career. These skills include critical thinking, emotional intelligence, interpersonal communication, management training, conflict resolution, creativity and entrepreneurship. Study these skills at school or online. To deepen your understanding of them, try your hand at setting up an organization or project—putting theory into practice will help solidify them in your mind.
