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As we grow older, we move away from our family home and our needs change.
Although some of our core needs remain the same, such as a place to live, clean
water, and food on the table, our emotional needs develop.
How we process these needs can have a dramatic impact on our sense of life
fulfillment and overall satisfaction with who we are and where we feel our life is
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going. Continuously securing, redeveloping, and progressing with our needs helps
us move toward what some psychologists refer to as self-actualization.
Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Self-
Compassion Exercises for free. These detailed, science-based exercises will not only
help you increase the compassion and kindness you show yourself, but also give you
the tools to help your clients, students, or employees show more compassion to
themselves.
5 Recommended Books
A Take-Home Message
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References
“This tendency might be phrased as the desire to become more and more
what one is, to become everything that one is capable of becoming.”
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Self-actualization accepts that everyone is unique, and their needs, values, and
desires will always be different. Self-actualization allows for differences and that the
process of achieving it will manifest differently for everyone.
This hierarchy helped Maslow further explain how our needs can be identified and
the process by which we might start working toward our own self-actualization.
The hierarchy of needs (Maslow, 1943) has five main levels that are ranked from
lowest to highest, with self-actualization as the highest level.
1. Physiological needs are the basic needs we need to keep us alive, including
food, water, shelter, sleep, and warmth.
2. Safety needs encapsulate our need to feel safe and secure in our environments,
whether that’s at home or work.
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3. Loving needs go beyond romantic relationships and include our need to feel
like we belong within our communities, friendships, family, and other social
relationships.
4. Esteem needs relate to our need to feel like we have been successful in our
idea of achievement and abilities, and that we receive external recognition and
respect from others regarding our accomplishments and abilities.
5. Self-actualization is the highest level of needs and relates to our need to
pursue and fulfill our full potential and abilities. The needs that are most
commonly associated with self-actualization are acceptance of facts, lack of
prejudice, problem-solving, morality, creativity, and spontaneity.
Originally, Maslow advised that the lower needs need to be satisfied before an
individual could move onto the higher level needs. He also stated that the need does
not need to be achieved entirely before moving on. To recognize the uniqueness of
individuals pursuing their needs, Maslow conceded that it is possible to pursue all
needs, to some extent, at the same time (Vinney, 2018).
Maslow’s assertion that many people would not be able to achieve self-
actualization fully, if at all, because of the difficulty of fulfilling the lower four
needs.
The idea that the needs have to be met in the order that Maslow set out in the
hierarchy of needs. Tay and Diener (2011) conducted research looking at the
satisfaction of the needs in Maslow’s hierarchy among participants across 123
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countries. They concluded that while needs are indeed quite universal, the
fulfillment of one need in order to achieve another was not connected. They
found that while the satisfaction of other needs was not required to pursue
self-actualization, individuals who did have their basic needs met were more
likely to be successful at achieving self-actualization.
Rogers felt that there are vital components that need to present within an
individual’s environment that enable them to grow:
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“The organism has one basic tendency and striving – to actualize, maintain,
and enhance the experiencing organism.” (Rogers, 1951)
Rogers (1963) went on to expand the concept to what he referred to as ‘the fully
functioning person.’ Unlike Maslow, Rogers believed that everyone could reach their
full potential because the idea of becoming a fully functioning person is a process
and ongoing journey throughout life, not an end goal or result.
Rogers defined the fully functioning person through five essential characteristics:
1. Open to all experiences — Both positive and negative experiences are accepted
for what they are and worked through as an opportunity for personal growth.
2. Existential living — Rogers defined this as the process of always being fully in
the present, living in the moment, and being in touch with all of life’s
experiences as they happen without preconceptions.
3. Trusting of feelings — A fully functioning person has trust that the decisions
they make are the right ones for them, at the time they make them.
4. Creativity — This includes creative thinking and risk taking. Rogers believed
that the ability to adjust, adapt to change, and seek new experiences was a
core part of a fully functioning person.
5. Fulfillment with life — This means a sense of overall satisfaction and
contentment with life, not as an end goal, but as a continual process of seeking
new experiences.
One of the main criticisms of Rogers’s theory was its Western-centric view and
reliance on individualism over the impact of being part of a wider community and
the great sense of fulfillment this can bring. Despite this, Rogers’s work on the topic
is still viewed with a lot of credibility.
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Person-Centered Therapy
Invented by Rogers himself, Person-Centered Therapy puts the client at the heart of
the treatment. This technique believes that the client, not the therapist, has the
answers they need to move toward achieving their full potential and encourages
them to lead the discussions and things they choose to talk about with guidance
from the therapist.
Transpersonal Therapy
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considered a talk therapy, but with the inclusion that the spiritual self needs tending
to as much as the emotional and physical self. Typical questions this type of therapy
might ask include:
Existential Psychotherapy
1. Empathy
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stated that empathy is different from and more important than sympathy, as it
demonstrates understanding of where the client is at rather than seeking to ‘know’
their individual experience.
Example:
Empathy response: I understand you feel alone and find making friends a
challenge.
2. Non-directiveness
Because self-actualization is such a personal and unique experience for each of us,
many therapists use non-directiveness as a technique to encourage clients to
explore their feelings.
Non-directiveness gives the therapy session over to the client and encourages them
to think about what they want to explore and talk about, rather than the therapist
leading the session with structured activities or pre-designed strategies to make a
client think about a specific area.
How do you feel about our last session? Is there anything you’d like to
discuss more?
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3. Open questioning
Open questions often begin with what, where, who, when, and how.
There are many questions you could reflect on to encourage growth, development,
and a better understanding of your self-actualization journey. Here are 10 to help
you on your way:
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The POI was developed by Shostrom (1964) as a measurement for the attitudes and
values of ordinary to high-functioning adults. It was designed specifically to
measure individual attitudes in relation to self-actualization and is used in therapy,
research, and individual personal development.
The POI consists of 150 statements that participants respond to with a Likert scale
and takes around 30–45 minutes to complete.
The POI is not available for free, but you can purchase a copy.
The SAS was developed by Jones and Crandall (1986) as a short-form way to measure
self-actualization after previous tests and inventories were criticized for being far
too long. Similar to the POI, the SAS aims to encourage participants to measure their
current thoughts around their values and attitudes to create a baseline for their
sense of progress toward self-actualization.
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The SAS consists of only 15 statements and asks participants to respond with a score
on a four-point Likert-type scale, with 1 indicating ‘disagree’ and 4 indicating ‘agree.’
The Brief Index consists of 40 statements designed to capture the core attitudes
that Maslow originally outlined for a self-actualized individual. Participants are
asked to respond to the statements with a score on a five-point Likert-type scale.
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As more people have come to understand the value of developing their sense of self-
actualization, psychologists have developed many online tests and resources.
Below, three tests have been included that you can take for free online to get a
better understanding of your self-actualization, two exercises that you can do
individually or with a group, and a PDF with helpful guiding points.
Developed by Kaufman (n.d.), this test is fully aligned with Maslow’s original core
attitudes for self-actualization. It’s completely free to access online and consists of
30 statements.
Statements include:
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I tend to take life’s inevitable ups and downs with grace, acceptance, and
equanimity.
I can stay true to my core values, even in environments that challenge them.
Responses are measured using a five-point Likert-type scale from ‘strongly disagree’
to ‘strongly agree.’ It should take around 20–30 minutes to complete.
If this sounds like you, this exercise is perfect for building a more balanced
recognition of your achievements. Below, I’ve briefly outlined how the exercise
works:
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3. Focus on the details of the achievement. Where were you? Who were you with?
What else was happening? Consider each of your senses concerning the
moment.
4. Next, turn your focus to your specific emotions. What were you feeling
immediately before, during, and after the achievement? Take a moment to
enjoy this recollection of emotion.
5. Reflect on any physical sensations associated with the moment: your facial
expression, body language, and nonverbal acknowledgments.
6. Allow yourself to feel wholly proud of the experience and the moment of
achievement. Congratulate yourself silently or out loud and reaffirm your sense
of accomplishment.
The next part of the exercise involves reflecting on the experience as a whole and
reminding yourself of how far you’ve come and what you’ve achieved. The reflection
part is also key for considering what you might need to do next to continue with
your growth journey toward self-actualization.
This exercise can be found in its comprehensive form as part of a subscription to the
Positive Psychology Toolkit©.
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The Healthy Personality Scale is another free online test that measures healthy
personality functioning. A high score on this test indicates that you have a healthier
personality, can self-regulate effectively, and have a generally optimistic view.
This test contains 30 statements that you respond to based on how much you agree
the statement is like you, from ‘strongly agree’ to ‘strongly disagree.’ Example
statements include:
I lose my temper.
4. Self-Actualization Test
This free online test is aligned with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and asks you to
respond to different corresponding statements.
Much like the other tests, you are presented with a selection of statements and
asked to rate how much you feel they are reflective of you, by choosing ‘agree’ or
‘disagree.’ Some example statements include:
When a problem arises, I first accept it and then work on solving it.
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A crucial part of self-actualization for Maslow was the identification and acceptance
of our strengths and weaknesses. It’s important to acknowledge that there are some
areas in life we will be weaker at than others. Instead of seeing that as a negative, we
can work to bring those areas into balance with the things we are strong at.
This exercise aims to help you do just that. It focuses on social strengths, but you
can follow the exercise for other areas by switching the focus.
There are six parts to the exercise, summarized briefly below, but the downloadable
resource contains extra tables and diagrams that are very helpful when reflecting on
this topic.
Strengths are things you do well. You can be more general or focus on a
specific area, such as a social strength (e.g., forgiveness, generosity, listening,
or support).
Next, reflect on how these strengths express themselves outwardly. How does
it affect others and the world around you?
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For example, if you said your strength was being a good listener, how do you
demonstrate this outwardly? Do you cancel plans to listen to a friend in need?
At work, do you ask to hear everyone’s points of view? Do you listen without
judgment or interrupting?
Write down as many ways as you can that this strength is expressed
outwardly.
Now do the same for how this strength is expressed inwardly. How does it
benefit or support you, your growth, and your needs?
Do you take the time to listen to what your body is telling you? Do you listen
when emotions come up and explore why they have arisen? When you react in
certain ways, do you listen to why that might have been?
Now reflect on what you have written and compare the two. Do you express
this strength more outwardly or inwardly? Are there any crossovers? Do you
wish you could express this strength more outwardly or inwardly? Why?
Now is the time to reflect on discrepancies between your outward and inward
expression of strengths. What needs will be met by doing this? How would it help
your personal growth? How would it help you build better connections and
relationships?
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Once you have analyzed the discrepancies, start thinking more about what you
can proactively and positively do to address the imbalance you might have
identified.
Try to think of three or more actionable ways you can express your strength to
better support your ongoing growth.
The full exercise can be accessed as part of a subscription to the Positive Psychology
Toolkit©.
6. Understanding Self-Actualization
This is a fantastic resource for better understanding and exploring the concept and
ideas behind self-actualization. It also includes ways to work toward your own idea
of self-actualization.
This handout includes further information about the 11 core attitudes that Maslow
felt led to self-actualization and a simple ‘Eight Ways to Self-Actualize’ guide to help
you on your way.
1. Experience things fully. Live in the moment and let it absorb you.
2. Life includes both safety and risk; both are needed for growth. Accept both.
3. Let your true self emerge. Don’t be swayed by ideas of what you or others think
you ‘should be.’ Be true to yourself.
4. Always be honest with what you need and take responsibility for those needs.
5. Do what makes you happy, even if it’s unpopular.
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6. Always work to do things to the best of your ability, no matter how small they
are.
7. Learn what you are good at and what you are not good at; be at peace with
both.
8. Finding out who you are, what you like and don’t like, what you are good and
bad at, and what is for you and not for you will help you achieve your mission
in life. Be open to the lessons of experience and have the courage to overcome
challenges.
5 Recommended Books
In this article, we’ve only begun to scratch the surface of self-actualization, the
techniques and therapeutic ideas about how to use it, and its rich history within
humanistic psychology.
If you’re keen to read more deeply about the topic, here are five books I highly
recommend:
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Knowing where to start on the idea of self-actualization for yourself might seem like
a daunting task, especially if it’s not something you’ve considered much before.
Reading through inspirational quotes can be a great way to get a better sense of
what the concept can mean and motivate your thinking and ideas.
Let yourself be drawn by the stronger pull of that which you truly love.
Rumi
Richard Dawkins
Albert Camus
If your forever was ending tomorrow, would this be how you’d want to have
spent it? Listen, the truth is, nothing is guaranteed. You know that more
Sarah Dessen
Every living organism is fulfilled when it follows the right path for its own
nature.
Marcus Aurelius
David Brooks
Kilroy J. Oldster
Kilroy J. Oldster
The central inner conflict is one between the constructive forces of the real
self and the obstructive forces of the pride system, between healthy growth
and the drive to prove in actuality the perfection of the idealized self.
Karen Horney
Life is an ongoing process of choosing between safety (out of fear and need
for defense) and risk (for the sake of progress and growth). Make the growth
Abraham Maslow
A Take-Home Message
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I hope that after reading this article, you have a better sense of the concept of self-
actualization and how it can be used in therapy to support client development.
If there’s one thing I’d like you to take away from reading this, it’s that self-
actualization is not an end goal. It is a process, a journey, and something you should
continually seek to be working toward throughout your life. As human beings, we
are not one dimensional; we will go through many different iterations of ourselves
and what helps us to feel fulfilled throughout our lifetime.
By taking the time to reflect on your needs and how you can find ways to meet
them, you’ll already be making steady progress toward what self-actualization can
mean for you.
We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Self-
Compassion Exercises for free.
REFERENCES
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Tay, L., & Diener, E. (2011). Needs and subjective well-being around the world.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101(2), 354–365.
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Elaine Mead, BSc. Dual Honours, is a counselor, passionate educator, writer, and
learner. Since completing her degree in psychology, she has been fascinated by the
different ways we learn - both socially and academically - and the ways in which we
utilize our experiences to become more authentic versions of our selves. She is
currently completing her diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Coaching & Mentoring.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
COMMENTS
I was so impressed with this information. Thank-you so much. It will truly help me
as I share with others.
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Reply
This is a wonderfully informative article! Prior to getting sucked into this list of
resources, I was doing research for my own beginner blog that aims to help others
meet their needs and essentially balance out their lifestyles. I’m hoping to receive
permission to reference this article in my own. I’d love to share the knowledge and
positivity of this content. Please write back as soon as possible!
Kind regards!
Reply
Hi Ashely,
That’s great that you found the article valuable. Yes, feel free to quote us and
provide a hyperlink/reference on your website.
Best of luck with your blog.
– Nicole | Community Manager
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its awesome and knowlegble content. pls do share these types of articles that
spread the humanity and positivity
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