Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light and not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be… you’re playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people will feel secure around you.” Marianne Williamson
- Self-actualization is:
- Striving toward one’s ideal self, toward autonomous self-regulation, a striving for personal mastery, to experience flow, to develop realistic appraisals of oneself and others
- Intrinsic motivation emerges spontaneously from psychological needs, curiosities and innate strivings for growth
- To paraphrase Carl Rogers “Self-actualization is an underlying flow of movement toward constructive fulfillment of … inherent possibilities. It is an individual’s or couple’s ever-fuller realizations of one’s talents, capacities and potentialities. To embrace and enjoy the journey.
The self-actualized world-view:
- Altruistically humanistic vs. behavioristic
- It is not a Stimulus → Response World
- It is an emotionally and socially intelligent world where stimulus evokes thoughtful response, employing the power of choice (Viktor Frankl)
- It is an abundant, interconnected & interdependent world of possibilities
- High moral and ethical standards
- To nurture others toward their ideal selves
- Intrinsically motivated to enjoy the journey
