Maslow's Self-Actualization

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Maslow’s self-actualization was developed from his hierarchy of needs. In the hierarchy of needs there are seven stages. Maslow did not feel that self-actualization determined one's life; rather, he felt that it gave the individual a desire, or motivation to achieve budding ambition (Gleitman and Reisberg). As a person moves up Maslow's hierarchy of needs, eventually they may reach the summit self-actualization (Gleitman and Reisberg). The first stage is physiological needs, which are where an individual will find food and water; also they will be able to use basic functions such as sleeping and breathing.
After the individual has finished with those needs, they will go to second stage, which is their safety needs such as, security and shelter. The third stage is about social needs and acceptance for example, belonging or fitting in within a family or a group of friends. The fourth stage deals with self-esteem this refers to independence, self-respect, and respect from others.
The fifth stage is about the cognitive needs which, deal with knowledge, meaning, and understanding of the world. The sixth stage deals with aesthetic needs which are needs for beauty, order, and appreciation. Once an individual makes it through all of the stages they are now ready for the final stage self-actualization.
Self-actualization was based on finding the potential and fulfillment within oneself. For someone to truly understand this level they must complete the basic needs, but they also have to master those needs. Maslow states a more meaningful message of self-actualization "intrinsic growth of what is already in the organism or more accurately of what is the organism itself...self-actual...

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...tial they will finally know who they are and what they are going to do in life. This is a self-fulfillment for any human being to accomplish the final stage of the hierarchy of needs. For someone to know that they have finally found out what their truly capable of and knowing that they can do anything that they want.
In concluding, Abraham Maslow’s self-actualization focused on what motivates and desires humans to reach their potential. He may have thought finding self-actualization was nearly impossible, but everyone can find their own potential inside of them because everyone was created equal. They just need to find out who they really are and accept who they are to find their potential. For some people it may come easy to find their potential and fulfillment in life, but for others they might need to hit rock bottom to figure out what they are really made of.

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