It is said in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs that 4 steps exist in a man’s life before he realizes what self-actualization really is and finds purpose in life. In descending order, the needs begin with your most basic necessities which are physiological, such as water, food, sex etc. Followed by your safety needs like being secure at your job, health, and so forth. Lastly, followed by your love and esteem needs. Self-actualization as you can see is clearly above all and the last point in the hierarchy you will reach in your life.
What is Self-Actualization?
Self-actualization is your ability to be honest with yourself and your ability to identify the reality around you for what it is. It is your ability to admit that there is something very wrong with your life and also carry the ability to change it. When you reach this plateau, your problem solving skills, creativity, and lack of prejudice are at their highest and opportunities will seem to appear all around you, not because you are now smarter but simply more capable of identifying what you never looked at before.
How can you reach self-actualization?
Balance is the first word that comes to mind when you think of self-actualization, as a balanced life creates a healthy lifestyle which allows you the stress-free approach to discovering yourself and experiencing new levels of living.
It is essential that you realize where you are in your very own hierarchy of needs and find ways to correct yourself to create the balance you are seeking which will eventually allow you to reach your true inner potential.
Once your basic needs of survival are met, then comes your ability to sustain it confidently, followed by your earned self-esteem. This combination enables your brain to start seeking ways to put itself out there and be recognized for its perceived genius and has the confidence to believe that anything can be achieved. It is ultimately possible to achieve self-actualization without your basic needs met or even continuity, however, it takes a very high level of mental strength to sustain your goals when your basic human needs are not met, which will then take much longer as your human needs for establishing your basic needs will interrupt your journey often.
So you see, self-actualization can be achieved primarily through achieving a high level of self-confidence which in result came from the perception of success. Where you should most often be careful is when you are not actually successful or have not achieved a sustainable level of success, yet quickly venture into this mode, leading you to often fail as you had never mastered yourself. Proceed with caution and ensure that it is the right time to reach self-actualization.
If you do not know your own limitations and do not acknowledge your weaknesses, you simply will not get there.
