Some Characteristics of Self-Actualizing People

Summarized from Maslow

• Intrinsic rather than extrinsic learning. They are more concerned with learning to be the best human being possible than with learning that does not promote their fulfillment as human beings.
• Being values rather than becoming values. They are concerned with ultimate values and are devoted to working at something very precious to them, as if it were ordained by God or by fate. The joy-work dichotomy disappears. Their work is their joy.
• Transcendent needs. Motivated to experience gratifications beyond those necessary for ordinary living. They pursue beauty, truth, etc.
• Experiencing fully, vividly, selflessly, with full concentration and total absorption. Without self consciousness. Experiencing with continued freshness of appreciation.
• Growth choices rather than regressive or defensive choices for behavior.
• Emergence of the inner self. Responsive to inner voice rather than to voice of those calling for conforming to molds.
• Honesty rather than playing games in interpersonal relations.
• Courage to be one's self, even if it means being unpopular.
• Working to do well what one needs (wants) to do.
• Peak experiences or transcendent moments. Moments of ecstasy when one is "surprised by joy."
• Identification of one's own defenses and having the courage to give them up for more healthful ways of experiencing.
• Accurate perception of reality and comfortable relations with it.
• Spontaneity, natural, not scheming but not impulsive to stupidity.
• Problem-centered rather than ego-centered.
• Genuine desire to help the human race.
• Profound interpersonal relations with important others.
• Democratic character structure.
• Creativeness.
• Philosophical, unhostile sense of humor.