Monday, March 31, 2008

Characteristics of self actualized people

About one person in a hundred is self actualized according to Maslow who did the first study of super healthy minds. I've done the work of summarizing his findings for you.

CHARACTERISTICS OF SELF-ACTUALIZED PEOPLE
(According to Abraham Maslow)

1. HAVE MORE EFFICIENT PERCEPTION
Unusual ability to detect the spurious, the fake, dishonesty in personality
In general, to judge people correctly and efficiently.
They can see reality more clearly.

2. ARE NOT FRIGHTENED BY THE UNKNOWN
Tolerate, even enjoy ambiguity

3. ACCEPT THEMSELVES AND OTHERS
Self - A relative lack of overriding guilt, crippling shame and severe anxiety
They accept their own human nature in stoic style, their shortcomings and discrepancies.
Others - They also accept others with their shortcomings and discrepancies.

4. ENJOY THEMSELVES WITHOUT SHAME

5. LACK DEFENSIVENESS AND POSE
Distaste for guile, hypocrisy, front, face

6. EXPRESS SPONTANEITY - SIMPLICITY - NATURALNESS

7. ARE MOTIVATED BY AN URGE TO GROW (Versus deficiency motivation)
Living vs. preparing to live
They don’t strive, they develop
They attempt to grow to perfection - to develop more and more fully their own style.

8. FOCUS ON PROBLEMS OUTSIDE THEMSELVES
They are problem-centered rather than ego-centered.
They usually have some mission in life.

9. HAVE THE QUALITY OF DETACHMENT
They remain unruffled, undisturbed by that which produces turmoil in others.
They find it easy to be aloof, reserved, calm, serene.
They take personal misfortune without reacting violently.
They are more objective and therefore can concentrate better.
They don’t need others in the ordinary sense.
They are self-governing, self-disciplined.
They are the deciding agent rather than a pawn.
They have more free will.

10. HAVE A GREATER NEED FOR PRIVACY

11. ARE MORE INDEPENDENT OF CULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT

12. HAVE A CONTINUED FRESHNESS OF APPRECIATION
They count their blessings.

13. HAVE HAD A MYSTIC EXPERIENCE (a peak experience)
These are experiences, usually brief, of limitless horizons opening up to the vision.
The feeling of being simultaneously more powerful and more helpless than ever.
The feeling of great ecstasy, wonder, awe.
The loss of placing in time and space.
The conviction that something extremely important and valuable has happened so that
One is to some extent transformed and strengthened.

14. HAVE DEEPER FEELINGS OF IDENTIFICATION, SYMPATHY AND AFFECTION.
Despite occasional anger, impatience, disgust.

15. DESIRE TO HELP THE HUMAN RACE.

16. HAVE DEEPER, MORE PROFOUND INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS.
Capable of more fusion, greater love, more perfect identification.
Especially deep ties with fewer people
Circle of friends rather small

17. ARE DEMOCRATIC
Are friendly with anyone with suitable character, regardless of class, education, or race

18. CAN DISCRIMINATE BETWEEN MEANS AND ENDS, GOOD AND EVIL
They are clear in themselves though often their notions of right and wrong are not the
conventional ones.

19. ARE PHILOSOPHICAL

20. HAVE A NON-HOSTILE SENSE OF HUMOR

21. ARE CREATIVE

22. ARE RESISTANT TO ENCULTURATION
They transcend any particular culture.