The Self-Actualization Test

Self-actualization is the idea that you are a complete and a person who is completely secure with who you are. In more simple terms, the ability to have an inner peace or strength where little from the outside world can shake who you are.

You may be aware of the idea from Maslow's triangle pictured here.

That being said, idea of self-actualization can never be achieved in my personal opinion. Humans like you and me constantly have goals to chase in order for us to feel fulfilled, confident, and sure of ourselves. Without this pressure that we are not perfect, we settle, and when we settle we feel fulfilled and without self-actualization.

With that being said, I believe a person can come pretty damn close.

So today created a test to discover your levels of self-actualization.

First question on the test, how do you feel about your alone time?

Are you a person who is alone quite often? Are you a person with fulfilling relationships, but still is comfortable with their time to themselves? Are you the kind of person who wants to be constantly around people?

I know you get the four for one in question one, but stay with me here.

If you are a fairly self-actualized person, you are going to gravitate towards the middle of the social spectrum. You definitely have friends, as humans are constantly chasing certainty, but you also need your time alone.

What this says is that you are confident within yourself. People like you because you are grounded and certain of who you are, while at the same time showing that you don’t need the constant validation of others to feel fulfilled. Your time with friends and family are special and fun, but your time alone is just as productive and fulfilling.

Question number two, what does the inner voice in your head think about you?

Healthy judgment and unhealthy judgment of yourself are two completely different animals. A person striving towards self-actualization will always be judging their actions as it pertains to their personal development and goals. However, if you are hard on the person you are as an individual, look out.

Self-actualized people are comfortable with who they are and they are not afraid to show it to the world. They speak their mind on things, they express how they feel unapologetically. They don’t judge how they feel or their values, they accept them and truly love themselves, a feeling of value is created within themselves. They don’t need the externalities to feel validated, they already know they bring value to the world, and if people fail to see that then it is okay.

Third on the list, do you blame your actions for the shortcomings in your life?

Self-actualized people take responsibility for their actions, and don’t blame other entities for their problems. It doesn’t mean that things that are out of their control are affecting their lives, but they know that all they can control is all they can control. They know how to respond and adjust to issues they can control if they want, and base it off their core values and standards. They don’t say sorry for being who they are, but are sorry if they feel like they could have done better. In short, they are extremely honest with themselves, but they do not beat themselves up for it.

Fourth, do you act somewhat primal?

Self-actualized people just do things without the approval of others or the unwritten rules of society. Something even silly like dancing in public or singing when no one else will. They march to the beat of their own drummer, they do the things they want to do, and they don’t show approval seeking behaviors while doing it. If it doesn’t harm the well being of others, they express it. Again, it shows confidence and comfort with themselves.

Fifthly, do you have a driving force of self-fulfillment in your life?

You aren’t dependent on your relationships or other independent factors to feel good about yourself. You have things that are completely within your control that make you feel good about yourself as a human being. You love to relate to the outside world, at the bare basics you have your own niches. You don’t fake who you are, you don’t fake what you love to do, and more importantly you act on it. So, even if someone does not like what you are doing, you go ahead and do it anyway because you are whole as an individual, and you don’t need to be guided by others.

Lastly, do you balance the value scale?

People who are self-actualized receive plenty of value, but only because they give out value. People who are not self-actualized have a hard time appreciating things in life for what they are. They see the negatives in things instead of looking at the opportunities. They expect to get and give nothing back in return. Always remember, when you give value, you receive value, and that is balancing the value scale.

Let me know how you felt about those six questions, but I want to address one more thing before we wrap up here.

Remember that you are not perfect, and that self-actualization is a spectrum and not so black and white.

You are going to experience times where you feel less self-actualized, you are going to have times where you are so self-actualized that you feel like you can run through a brick wall.

Understand that you are a human being who is constantly evolving based on your experiences, and that is why it is impossible to feel complete self-actualization. Every day you get to experience a brand new you, just take pride in the journey and have fun with life.

Until next time.