What does it mean to be self-actualized?

The concepts of self and identity have deep roots in psychology and philosophy. Although modern Western civilization has accredited “know thyself” to Socrates, the adage emerges from the histories of Asia, Africa (Egypt), Eastern and Western Europe, China, and many religions, such as Hinduism and Islam. Its message adorns the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, and its significance exists in modern psychological theory.

Developmental psychologist Erik Erikson highlights the importance of identity crises and attainment for healthy growth. Although Erikson’s identity and role confusion typically refer to the adolescent developmental stage, his psychosocial developmental theory regarding identity can apply to people throughout the lifespan. His theory posits that a person’s formulation of an identity—value system, occupations, relationships, etc.—is paramount to fulfillment. Many researchers today have applied his eight-stage theory to the lifespan, because as people’s lives change, so do their roles and their self-images. We are in a constant state of fluctuation and at the center is the Self.

The Self is a centerpiece of social and humanistic psychology, which both describe the importance of self-concept. Self-concept is a person’s attitude or way of thinking about him or herself, and these include:

• Self-esteem or self-worth: How we value our own Self
• Self-image: How we see our own Self, which affects personality and behavior
• Ideal-self: How we want to be, our goals and ambitions

Each person has many attributes that make him or her unique. Each of us sees these attributes in other people, but the recognition and understanding of our own attributes may be skewed. The self-image is how we see ourselves, our social roles and our personality traits. For example, a new mother may have a difficult time transitioning to her new self-image as a mother. Not only is she now responsible for the health, safety, and development of a newborn, but she also must reckon with the changes to her body and personality.

Humanistic psychologist Carl Rogers believed that it is the main objective of any living organism to self-actualize. But unlike any other organism, humans self-actualize according to their unique personality traits. Additionally, Rogers believed that a person can only make realizations about one’s self when congruence exists between the ideal self and actual behavior.

Although Rogers also believed that self-actualization correlates with childhood development and experience, he did describe the self-actualized process as a journey and not a destination. This means that any person can exhibit the characteristics of a self-actualized person, which according to Rogers display the following behavior examples:

• Is open to multiple experiences and the emotions that come with them (positive and negative)
• Lives in the present moment without preconceptions or judgments
• Trusts one’s own intuition and stands firm in their decisions
• Is an active creator and risk-taker; makes appropriate changes when needed and creates solutions on one’s own
• Achieves fulfillment and happiness, which leads to embracing life’s challenges and living in joy

Generally, Rogers and other humanistic psychologists believed that a person can achieve self-actualization when the ideal-self matches subjective self-image. In other words, a person will engender their ambitions when their behavior aligns with their goals.

What Prevents Self-Actualization?

Achieving self-actualization isn’t as simple as meeting your basic needs, and then living in congruence with your goals and desires. Often, we transfer our feelings about our self-image to fear about what others may think of us. A negative self-image leads to poor self-esteem (regard for one’s self). People often categorize their self-esteem with their worth as an individual. A person who sees him or herself as valuable will be positive, tolerant, and secure. On the other hand, people who see themselves as having little value (low self-esteem) will be negative, harsh, and apprehensive. This environment is an impossible place to grow the ideal-self.

The human experience is rife with complications and uncontrollable events that affect our everyday lives—good, bad, or indifferent. Beyond meeting those basic needs, the human brain often sabotages any intention of living a peaceful and fulfilling life.

The brain’s main objective is to figure out what is going on. We perceive stimuli through our senses, and then the brain works to analyze and synthesize the information to interpret the event. But because our human intelligence allows us to also make judgements, the conscious mind creates assumptions. Over analyzing and replaying the same story in our minds can lead to depression and anxiety. Fear of failure, not fitting in, and a scarcity mindset can all lead to symptomatic behaviors that keep us from actualizing who we really are and what we really want to be.

One of the biggest hurdles we face in the 21st Century is the prevalence of technology and instant gratification. Although we are more connected to each other than at any other time in human history, the connection is less personal. People are able to live a life through their technology without actually enjoying it for themselves. Social media and the 24-hour news cycle have created intense standards for success. Focus, patience, and awareness—necessary traits for self-actualization—have all been consumed by the speed and lure of personal devices. Humans are working harder and longer for less satisfaction, while time marches forward without waiting for us to wake up.