The Importance Of Self Actualization

Self Actualization is the highest level of human development according to Maslow. This level of development is what will set one’s self apart from the rest. On this level a person will need to successfully have the entire needs met that is listed in order in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs each checked off. An individual cannot get to the level of self actualization if they do not feel safe, confident or healthy and so on. All these needs need to be met in order to meet that level. Unfornately, there are many of those who goes through life just living day by day not motivated by anything that surrounds but do the bare minimum just to get by. Then there are those with disabilities such Autism that prevents or make it more difficult for them to reach …show more content…
What sets these people apart from the rest? According to Fewer U.S Graduates Opt for College after High School by Floyd Norris, “65.9% of people who had graduated from high school the previous spring had enrolled in college”. Many of these students are looking to have a better future, happier lives, and to one day live a comfortable lifestyle. These students have goals and work really hard for their future. Once they graduate the chances of them getting a job in what have they been studying for is slim to none. Only 14% of seniors actually find jobs that are related to what they were studying for in college according to The Daily Caller. So the question still stands. What is it that separates theses people from the rest? Successfully reaching Self Actualization by meeting all the needs in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is the answer to true …show more content…
As a child’s behavioral therapist it is my job to aid these kids to be more functional and to hopefully reach that level of life one day depending their placement on the spectrum. There is one client in particular that I work with everyday and attend his school. He is a high functioning 10 years old autistic child who dreams to be a teacher one day. It is hard for him to focus in school and stay on topic when it comes to having conversations with his friends. He displays self stimulating behaviors such as shaking his hands back and forth in front of his face. In the Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs there are 4 needs that are needed to be met before reaching the ultimate goal. This client has 3 out of 5 of the needs and it is my job to hopefully get him there. He is feels safe, physically fine and surrounded with friends/family. But today he is stuck on being confident in him and having self esteem. According to The Self Determined theory and Actualization of Human Potential self regulation is accepting who are and what you do. Having my client accept for whom he is and what he has is one huge step we are still trying to overcome. With this he understand that he different from his peers and displays different behaviors from them such as his self stimulation behaviors. With that said we talk about different ways to hide his self stimulating behaviors with replacement behaviors. He wants to be normal and talk like