Self-actualization’s definition gives the impression that it’s a simple concept, but reaching the full realization of who you are is a complicated process.
Self-actualization looks different for everyone, and if you’re feeling lost in life, it can be hard to pinpoint what truly fulfills you. You might be unsure of what your purpose is or feel like you’ve committed to a career you don’t love. And if you’re really stuck, you might find it hard to picture what self-actualization could look like for you at all.
Examining and reflecting on self-actualization examples can help you decide what your journey might look like. These examples will inspire you to plot a course and manifest your complete range of capabilities, recognizing both your strengths and your life goals. And with that knowledge, you can use self-improvement to bring your ideals to reality.
What are self-actualization needs?
In psychology, self-actualization first arose from German neurologist and psychiatrist Kurt Goldstein in his 1939 book, The Organism: A Holistic Approach to Biology Derived from Pathological Data in Man. In it, he argued that the drive to reach one’s full potential motivates every organism’s behavior, not just humans.
But this term didn’t become popular until 1943, when American psychologist Abraham Maslow, who specialized in humanistic psychology, published “A theory of human motivation.” Maslow’s text refined Goldstein’s original self-actualization theory to apply exclusively to humans.
According to Maslow, self-actualization is at the summit of a hierarchy of needs every person requires to thrive and can only occur once they address lower-level necessities. Maslow's hierarchy of needs divides the requirements for human existence into five levels and three categories:
1. Basic needs
This category breaks down into two levels, representing the fundamentals of human survival. The first is physiological needs, which covers the things people need to keep their bodies alive, like food, water, and shelter. The second is safety needs, which address physical security, resources and employment, and health.
2. Psychological needs
Once someone has addressed these fundamental human needs, they can focus on the next category — psychological needs. This group of requirements helps people function and thrive within their communities.
The first in this category, and third in overall needs, is love and belonging. At this level of hierarchy, a person searches for social connection via friendly, romantic, and familial relationships.
After that comes esteem needs. Once someone secures love and belonging, internal and external status can become behavioral motivators. At this level, people seek respect, confidence, and recognition of what makes them special and unique.
3. Self-actualization needs
People reaching the highest level of Maslow's hierarchy have addressed all their basic and psychological needs and have moved on, searching to become their true selves. This stage is about finding your purpose in life, whether that’s making art, serving your community, or achieving autonomy.
In Maslow’s 1954 book Motivation and Personality, he said:
“Musicians must make music, artists must paint, poets must write if they are to be ultimately at peace with themselves. What human beings can be, they must be. They must be true to their own nature. This need we may call self-actualization.”
The expanded needs
Before he died in 1970, Maslow expanded the hierarchy and concept of self-actualization to include three new needs groups. Between esteem needs and self-actualization, he added:
4. Cognitive needs
Cognitive needs are the source of curiosity. They include the drive to explore, learn more about the world around you, and interact with inspiring and enriching people.
5. Aesthetic needs
Aesthetic needs are behind creative pursuits and the appreciation of beauty. This could come in many forms, like making art or simply consuming it.
6. Transcendence
Maslow's theory postulates that to reach human potential, one must look beyond the self and find meaning and a sense of purpose in altruistic actions. This practice, known as transcendence, is the ultimate goal of self-actualization.
6 examples of self-actualization needs
Self-actualization is a lifelong journey, and as you move through different stages, your needs will change. What helps you self-actualize in your 50s could differ entirely from your needs in your 20s. You need to check in routinely with the things that fulfill you to stay on the same path toward Maslow’s idea of transcendence.
If you’re unsure what will help you reinvent yourself and your place in the world, consider these self-actualization goals:
1. To feel good about yourself
Having a strong sense of self and appreciating your qualities, strengths, and positive characteristics builds self-confidence and contributes to your sense of worth. When you take the time to think about your strengths and the things that make you unique, you can feel satisfied with who you are, which contributes to self-actualization.
2. To contribute
Some people’s ambition is to do meaningful work, and that can become an essential part of achieving self-actualization. Contributing to the world with an innovative job or to your community with volunteering opportunities can give you the gratification you need.
3. To take risks
To self-actualize, you need to grow, and sometimes growth requires taking a chance. By getting out of your comfort zone and opening yourself to healthy risks, you find opportunities for new experiences and the potential to learn from your mistakes.
4. To have your value recognized
It’s scientifically proven that people want to feel like what they do matters. When you know that your presence is significant and other people value your contributions, you might feel a sense of purpose. And with that knowledge, you might feel like you’ve fulfilled your life’s goal and become the best version of yourself.
5. To nurture
For some people, the desire to care and contribute to other’s development and well-being becomes their self-actualization goal. Teachers, healthcare professionals, and social workers all experience the desire to help others and support new generations. But parents and active community members may also feel the same thing.
6. To leave the world a better place
There are always challenges facing society, and some people’s primary concern is to help the world overcome those hurdles. These people might become activists, advocates, or supporters of causes to improve their communities and the planet overall.
10 characteristics of self-actualized people
In 2018, American cognitive scientist and author Scott Barry Kaufman reviewed Maslow’s journals and identified 17 characteristics of self-actualized people, then evaluated them with an eye on applicability to modern times. Kaufman found that 10 out of 17 still apply to achieving one’s full potential — even 40 years after Maslow’s time — and that the other seven weren’t scientifically sound.
These 10 traits are:
1. Continued freshness of appreciation
No matter how familiar they are with an activity or topic, self-actualized people can approach them with new eyes. They appreciate the possibility of pleasure, awe, or a novel perspective, bringing wonder to everything they do.
2. Self-acceptance
Reaching your true self means recognizing your strengths and weaknesses and accepting them as an aspect of your unique personality. Self-actualized people have healthy levels of self-esteem and avoid conflict between their internal experience and external representation.
3. Authenticity
Even in the most trying circumstances and environments, someone who is self-actualized maintains dignity and self-respect. They know their worth and ensure their behavior reflects this.
4. Equanimity
No one can expect to go through life without roadblocks. Self-actualized people understand this and react to inevitable challenges with acceptance and grace. They’ll endure hard times with their optimism and sense of humor intact, letting themselves feel upset without surrendering to it.
5. Purpose
Self-actualized people feel it's their duty not only to develop talents and capabilities but also to find their purpose in life. To them, it's not enough to have goals and objectives — it's their mission to follow their passions and find fulfillment.
6. Efficient perception of reality
People who’ve met all of Maslow’s needs love learning and perceiving the world, preferring to dig deep into a subject or spend their time getting to know someone. When they offer an opinion or make a judgment, it’s made based on facts and evidence.
7. Humanitarianism
With the process of self-actualization comes a desire to share one’s skills and talents to make the world a better place.
8. Peak experiences
Self-actualizers live life to the fullest, experiencing awe-inspiring moments of pure joy and profound understanding. These moments bring new perspectives on purpose and fulfillment, often approaching a spiritual nature.
9. Good moral intuition
Along with the self-awareness of strengths and weaknesses comes the ability to see their behavior with clarity. A self-actualized person can identify moments that don’t live up to the moral standards they set, and with that recognition comes the push to make things right.
10. Creative spirit
Self-actualized people often have a creative spark that they bring to their professional and personal lives. Whether it’s a pastime or during routine housework, they find ways to make day-to-day activities fun, fresh, and engaging.
5 real-life self-actualization examples
Since every person and life is different, self-actualization is a completely unique experience. An activity that brings you joy and transcendence may not lead to the same feelings in someone else, and vice versa. The human experience can be subtle and diverse, but that’s what makes it enriching.
If you’re still unsure of what self-actualization is or looks like, here are some examples of people who’ve made their mark on the world and fulfilled their purpose:
1. Jane Goodall
Jane Goodall is one of the world’s leading primatologists and anthropologists. She dedicated her life to researching chimpanzees, spending 60 years studying their social and familial interactions in Tanzania. The Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), a global non-profit wildlife and environment conservation organization, now helps people and animals everywhere. Goodall found a clear vocation and followed it through, making her a clear example of a self-actualized person.
2. Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela, who was the president of South Africa in the 1990s, became a powerful voice for non-violent resistance. He worked tirelessly to bring white and Black South Africans together, both as their political leader and instigator of the Commission for Truth and Reconciliation. Eventually, he wrote many books about his experience and inspired people everywhere, showing a strong sense of purpose and creative spirit.
3. Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman was an abolitionist and social activist. Born into slavery on a Maryland farm in 1822, she finally escaped to freedom in Philadelphia. Tubman turned her back on safety and returned to Maryland 13 times to rescue family and friends as a conductor in the Underground Railroad, leading a total of 70 people to safety. In a time of hardship, Tubman found a way to overcome adversity and help others, which is a beautiful example of self-actualization.
4. David Attenborough
David Attenborough has shared his love and passion for the natural world for over 70 years. Trained in the natural sciences, he created now-famous natural history programming, including Life on Earth (1979), The Private Life of Plants (1995), and Planet Earth (2006). A committed environmentalist and climate change activist, he has often spoken of his optimism that the world will successfully address the current climate emergency. Attenborough’s dedication to his research and the world shows strong moral intuition and humanitarianism.
5. Malala Yousafzai
Malala Yousafzai has advocated for girls' rights to education since she was 11. Because of her fearlessness and desire to pursue her education, she was targeted for assassination and was seriously injured in 2012. While recovering, Yousafzai launched the Malala Fund to advocate for women’s education around the world, providing funds, equipment, and grants to support schools and teacher development. She also won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. Yousafzai is a great example of self-actualization because even after achieving the impossible, she continues to help others.
The journey toward self-actualization
It might seem like self-actualization is an endpoint or outcome, and once you achieve it, your journey is over. But meeting every need and finding your life’s purpose is a journey that never ends.
Self-realization requires that you continually strive and grow, propelling yourself through moments of transcendence and then back down again. There are always new personal development opportunities and experiences that bring self-awareness, fulfillment, and the means to transform your life. Seeing self-actualization examples can inspire you to get there.
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