What is Self-realization? Keys to Achieving Our Maximum Potential

What does it mean to feel self-actualized? How can we work towards our self-realization? Discover the psychological keys to fight for our goals and bring out our best version.

Inside of psychology, self-realization It is achieved when you are able to reach your maximum potential, that is, you feel that you have achieved your best version or are on a path towards it. Feeling authentically self-actualized is a path that involves a lot of inner personal work. But, how can we identify personal self-realization?

What is self-realization? Definition

Many times self-realization It is associated with Maslow and Maslow’s pyramid, but this term was actually first coined by psychiatrist and psychologist Kurt Goldstein.

In psychology, self-realization and its definition They refer to the full realization of creative, intellectual and social potential through an individual’s internal motivation. That is, it is the search for our ‘ideal self’ through our own personal motivation.

Therefore, the personal self-realization It is characterized by taking advantage of our abilities to reach our maximum potential. Thus, the process and needs of self-actualization will vary from one person to another.

Maslow’s needs for self-actualization

The psychologist Abraham Maslow describes through Maslow’s pyramid what is known as a hierarchy of needs, where those motivations that characterize human behavior are represented. According to this theory, people need to meet the lowest levels to achieve personal fulfillment.

Signs of personal self-actualization

When people are in the way of self-realization are normally characterized by the following attitudes.

1. They leave their comfort zone: People who work on themselves to self-actualize They tend to leave their comfort zone. This means that they try to experience different sensations as much as possible. In this way, they try to change something in their routine every day to be able to train their mind and get out of comfort.
2. Self-acceptance: Self-acceptance involves people accepting themselves and others as they are. In these cases, the people who are fighting for their personal self-realization They usually leave behind guilt and regrets for past mistakes. Instead, they work on what they control in the present to improve their future.
3. They are realistic: Another of the most important characteristics that usually define those people who want self-actualize is that these are realistic. That is, they do not live in their constant fantasies and have one foot on the ground without losing their way towards their goals.
4. They focus on solutions: Therefore, they know what they control and what they don’t.
5. Independence: Someone self-actualized or on the way to it is usually independent of others. This is because they do not conform to other people’s opinions.
6. They manage their loneliness: The people who are doing their personal self-realization They usually enjoy their time alone. In this way, even though they have an active social life, they usually reserve time for themselves.
7. They are in the present: The self realisation It also implies knowing how to be in the here and now. The journey towards our goals is equally or more important than the goal itself, therefore, people who strive for self-realization must incorporate this approach into their lives.

To achieve self-realization It is important to keep in mind that we must work daily within ourselves. Therefore, in many cases it is advisable to go to a professional psychologist to achieve our goals.

How to self-actualize?

The key to reaching your own self-realization It is living a life with purpose and authenticity. In order to achieve this, we can take into account the following tips:

• Be flexible: Sometimes life brings us events that we did not expect. Therefore, in order to fight towards our self-realization It is important to have an open and flexible mind. In these cases, the concept of resilience can be a key factor.
• Live in the present: As we have indicated, one of the characteristics of people who fight for your self-realization It is precisely knowing how to enjoy the here and now. Knowing how to savor the moment is key to achieving your professional and life goals.
• Practice gratitude: You couldn’t reach your goals if you didn’t have everything you have right now. In this aspect, self-realization It also involves trying to be grateful for what you have obtained and what you have in your daily life.
• Live authentically: Living authentically means honoring your way of seeing reality. Therefore, you should try to live according to what you believe or desire. In these cases it is important to know how to differentiate what others want for us and what we really want for our lives.
• Go to therapy: Finally, another form of achieve self-realization It is precisely trying to know ourselves from another perspective. A professional therapist can help you know yourself and how to focus your life.

In many cases self-realization It goes hand in hand with internal and personal self-care. So much so that to achieve our goals, we must work within ourselves.