| Using a qualitative method called "biographical analysis," Maslow chose an elite group of highly functioning people and interviewed them and the people around them or studied their words, acts, and letters. His group included such luminaries as Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, Walt Whitman, William James, Albert Schweitzer, Baruch Spinoza, and Thomas Jefferson. From his research, Maslow distilled 16 characteristics that define the self-actualizing individual: - Openness to experience. Self-actualizers are eager to undergo new experiences and rethink old ideas.
- An efficient perception of reality. Self-actualizers see things as they really are, not as they imagine or wish them to be.
- Acceptance of self, nature, and others. Self-actualizers rarely feel anxious, guilty, or ashamed. They are confident in themselves and their ability to solve problems.
- Spontaneity and naturalness. Self-actualizers may act spontaneously due to their heightened sense of self. They are genuine in their relationships, not needing to wear masks or play roles.
- Focus on outside problems. Self-actualizers are not self-obsessed. Their focus is on a general "mission" to which they devote their lives.
- Detachment and privacy. Self-actualizers crave solitude and time for quiet reflection.
- Continued freshness or appreciation. The self-actualizing man or woman experiences joy in simple, everyday things: sunsets, starry nights, children laughing, autumn leaves.
- Peak experiences. Self-actualizers experience strong, positive emotions akin to ecstasy. These may include a deep sense of peacefulness or tranquility.
- Empathy. Self-actualizers are more willing to listen to and learn from people of any class, race, religion, or ideology.
- Interpersonal relations. Self-actualizing people tend to have relatively fewer friends, but those relationships are likely to be deep and meaningful.
- Democratic character. The self-actualizer recognizes we all have strengths and weaknesses, but that we share a common humanity and equality.
- Discrimination between ends and means. Self-actualizers work to achieve desirable ends, but avoid wrong or hurtful means to achieve them.
- Philosophical sense of humor. Self-actualizers enjoy humor but not at the expense of others. (As Goethe said, "Men show their character in nothing more clearly than what they think laughable.")
- Creativity. Self-actualizers enjoy using their creative abilities, whether it's writing, drawing, music, or woodworking. (Maslow once remarked that a first-rate soup is better than a second-rate painting.)
- Resistance to inculturation. Self-actualizers are not dependent on the opinions of others or the conventions imposed by society. They have a keen sense of who and what they are.
- Awareness of imperfections. Self-actualizers are not saints. They have weaknesses and shortcomings like everyone else. But they are aware of them.
Self-actualization is not a goal. It is a philosophy of life, a continual striving, a process of development. "One's only rival is one's potentialities," said Maslow. "One's only failure is failing to live up to one's own possibilities. In this sense, every man can be a king." This is achieved by shunning the safe, the comfortable, the routine - and instead seeking opportunities for growth. "One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth," wrote Maslow. "Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again." Essentially, self-actualization means seeing life as a series of choices - and choosing the growth choice each time. According to Maslow, this uniquely human need is at the core of our nature. It creates meaning in our lives. Throughout his lifetime, Maslow received numerous honors for his original thinking and his breakthroughs in human psychology. Toward the end of his career, however, he had an epiphany - and reversed himself. Self-actualization is essential. Yet there is another plateau: self-transcendence. Self-transcendence, Maslow argued, is a meta-need, a higher state of consciousness where we transcend our ego and embrace a fundamental connection with the rest of the world. This transcendence is generally accompanied by intense happiness and well-being, the feeling that one is aware of "ultimate truth" and the unity of all things. Maslow called self-transcendence the next step in human evolution. Despite his reputation as a brilliant researcher - Maslow actually received the second-highest IQ score ever recorded - many of his colleagues were outraged. Critics argued that it is logically impossible for the self to transcend itself. Some referred to self-transcendence as "numinous nonsense," claiming Maslow had abandoned the practical for the mystical. But perhaps he only fused the two. In the second century B.C., the great Indian sage Patanjali wrote, "When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds; your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great, and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties, and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be." Maslow believed self-transcendence takes us beyond rational self-interest, beyond individual self-actualization - and allows us to do something more meaningful: help others reach their potential. Until his death in 1970, Maslow encouraged individuals to develop their innate talents and abilities to their fullest extent. But he also believed he had discovered a higher wisdom, something greater than self-actualization. "The true value of a human being," said Albert Einstein, "is determined primarily by the measure and the sense in which he has attained liberation from the self." It may not be easy. But getting out of your own head and thinking instead about the welfare of others... That's self-transcendence. Good investing, Alex | 
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