Of course you are.
Who isn’t? It’s been the most
used - or I should say over used –
concept of man actualisation and human motivation theory. Every time some, so called, expert consultant wants to
look intelligent in his/her presentation, he/she serves us this theory once
again. So I won’t waste time explaining
it to you.
What I am interested in and what has taken up some of my
brain CPU lately is the tiny upper part of Maslow pyramid: the self-actualization.
What is it?
Well I guess there must be one answer to that question for
every human being on the planet. So seek
your own.
The true question is.
How do we tap on it? How do we
access it?
Now I see that several ones would raise their hands and gladly
say in front of the class that in order to get to that higher stage, one must fulfil
the underlying needs right?
Beeeeeep!
WRONG!
There are many examples of people who had nothing, they
could barely eat and yet they devoted their lives to others, defended causes
and felt a strong feeling of fulfilment.
Insert the name of your choice here.
Maslow studied the characteristics of people that arrived at
a state of self-actualization. Those are
the people who have been able to exploit their potentials to the maximum. No need to become Buddhist or holistic
here. If you want to you can. But self-actualization
does not require it as a must have. Just
seek to use your potential at the maximum.
How do you know if you use your potential to the
maximum? Do it. If you do it well then seek higher challenges. The idea is to test you limits. When you get to your limits, you’ll
know it. You are either going to feel
that this is becoming too big a task for you.
Or you’ll screw up. Or you’ll
have this feeling that you just and plainly want to shit your pants right
now. But fear not! This is all part of the process. Indulge yourself. Learn from it. And adapt.
Try different angles, other approached.
Know the difference between a setback and an actual limitation of yourself. The more you’ll do, the more you’ll know what
you can and cannot do. In short, thrive
to get to your level of incompetency in what you choose to do. Yes! You’ve
guested it, it’s the Peter Principle that you can apply to every aspect of your
life and not only as en employee.
And when you’ve reached the end of that road does it means
that everything must come to a stop? No.
Its not because you are not good at something that you cannot associate with
someone who is good at it… an continue on your path by the same way.
Back to Maslow.
Maslow started his research originally. He chooses historical eminent people that he
considered people who achieved self-actualization. Those were men and women that made an
exceptional use of their potentiality.
Among them were Spinoza, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, WilliamJames, Jane Addams, Albert Einstein and Eleanor Roosevelt.
After scrutinizing their lives, Maslow developed a “robot
portrait” of an individual that realizes his/her potentialities which brings to
self-actualization. He also developed a
list of behaviors that, as per Maslow, can bring one on to the road of self-actualization. Here they are as per Maslow:
Characteristics of
those that reach self-actualization
-
- They have an adequate perception of reality and they are capable to support uncertainty.
- They accept themselves as they are and they accept other as they are too.
- They show spontaneity in their actions and their thoughts.
- They are focus on problems instead of being focus on themselves.
- They have a good sense of humor.
- They are very creative people.
- They resist social pressures of standardization and conformity. But they are not overtly rebels.
- They engage into the wellbeing of humanity.
- They are able to profoundly appreciate the essential experiences of life.
- They entertain profound and fulfilling relationships with few people instead of amassing tons of friends
- They are capable of appreciating life with an objective view point
Conduct, behaviours
leading to self-actualization
-
- Discover life like children are. With total concentration and awe.
- Try something new instead of resting in the security of what is known
- Listen to your feeling for what they are and what they mean in the evaluation of experiences instead of surrendering to tradition, religion, authority or the majority
- Be honest. With yourself and others. Don’t play games.
- Accept being unpopular when your point of view does not coincide with the vie of others
- Take responsibilities
- Work hard at what YOU chose to do.
- Try to identify the schemes and mechanisms behind which we take shelter and once aware of them, have the courage to let them go
To me, I see some similarities between Maslow’s theory of
self-actualization and the concept of the Übermensch from Friedrich Nietzsche.
More on that in another post J
As a ending note. I will leave
you with this interesting link of Philosopher’s Notes that will tell you a
little more about the philosophy of Maslow.
Enjoy.
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