American psychologist Abraham Maslow presented A. H. Maslow. A theory of human motivation / Psychological Review his concept of the hierarchy of needs in 1943. Psychology of that time was mainly focused on helping people with mental problems. But Maslow was more interested in what motivates a healthy person and what makes her happy on a fundamental level.
The author himself did not use T. Bridgman, S. Cummings, J. Ballard. Who built Maslow’s pyramid? A history of the creation of management studies’ most famous symbol and its implications for management education / Academy of Management Learning and Education there are no geometric shapes to show your motivation model, nevertheless today it is usually presented in the form of a pyramid. It is based on physiological needs, followed by needs for security, love and belonging to a certain community, respect and recognition. And finally, at the top is the need for self—actualization - the need to unleash your potential.
According to the original idea, we move to the next level of the hierarchy only after satisfying the needs of the previous one. However, Maslow later refused Leontiev D. A. Maslow / The Great Russian Encyclopedia. Electronic version (2017) from a strict sequence and divided all the needs into two types. The first is the needs of scarcity, for example hunger when we feel a lack of food. The second is the need for development, for example, the desire to improve in the professional field, when we feel that we are lagging behind colleagues.
At the same time, self-actualization remains the main one in the list of needs. And although Maslow believed that she did not have a universal formula, in his latest book, "New Frontiers of Human Nature," he described eight behaviors that will help each person find a suitable option for self-realization and reach the top of the pyramid of needs.
According to Maslow, people who have achieved self-actualization have an unconscious ability to immerse themselves in the present moment. They give themselves entirely to their experiences, vividly and selflessly, with deep concentration and involvement, without self-doubt and embarrassment characteristic of teenagers .
In moments of such experiences, when we are focused on the present, we reveal our human essence. And these are the very moments of self-actualization in which our inner self manifests itself.
During the day, we constantly have to choose. Maslow believed that at each point the choice could be progressive or regressive. And instead of instinctively choosing the least frightening option dictated by the need for security, we should be aware of our capabilities and give preference to the option that contributes to personal growth.
Self—actualization is a long continuous process. And he assumes that we have to make choices all the time from a position of self-development, for example, to lie or to remain honest at a certain moment.
Self-actualization is impossible without individuality, which needs to be actualized. A person, as Maslow believed, is not a piece of clay or plasticine, he already exists, he already has a temperament and some inner world.
Therefore, there is no need to look back at society or family when it comes to what you should think and feel. Study your "I", listen to your own inner voice — it will help you find yourself.
Not all the time. Sometimes we need to be polite and diplomatic. But being honest, and especially to yourself, means taking responsibility. Every time we do this, we actualize ourselves.
Maslow emphasized that such a path can make a person unpopular. Nevertheless, understanding that you will not be liked by everyone if you rely on yourself, and the ability to accept this is part of self—actualization.
Self—actualization is not an end point, but a constant and complex process of realizing opportunities at any time and in any volume.
Becoming a mediocre musician or scientist does not mean achieving self-actualization. To do this, you need to strive to be the best in your business, or at least as good as possible.
Maslow calls them short-term transitional moments of self-actualization. Each of us experiences something similar from time to time, but it will not be possible to artificially create such "magical" situations.
The best thing to do is to get rid of false ideas and understand what opportunities you do not have the potential to realize. And then learn to recognize the moments of peak experiences, because they help to notice the true possibilities and indicate the right direction for self-actualization.
Personal growth is impossible without working on your weaknesses. On the way to becoming better, we face a lot of protective mechanisms that have to be destroyed. It's painful and difficult, but you have to do it. According to Maslow, if psychoanalysis has taught us anything, it is that repression is not the best way to solve problems.
Despite the fact that the need for self-actualization is natural for people, for many it is not a priority. And in this case, the pursuit of perfection (which does not equal self-actualization) will bring nothing but torment. Perhaps if you consult with yourself and listen to your needs, you will realize that such a difficult and confusing search for yourself does not suit you. But the application of the behavioral models proposed by Maslow, in any case, is unlikely to interfere with self-development.
