# Without googling anything, what does "self-actualized" mean to you?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-googling-anything-what-does-self-actualized-mean-to-you/920161>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [September 9, 2020, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-googling-anything-what-does-self-actualized-mean-to-you/920161 "2020-09-09T12:45:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\
**Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-googling-anything-what-does-self-actualized-mean-to-you/920161/21 "2020-09-10T18:29:46Z")

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Self-actualized:

…ahem…

_I’m good enough. I’m smart enough. And goddammit, people like me!_

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**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\
**Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-googling-anything-what-does-self-actualized-mean-to-you/920161/22 "2020-09-10T22:10:43Z")

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It means that you’ve reached the biggest goals of your life and it’s different for each individual. Some want to win an Oscar or earn a million dollars by age 40 or live in another country or get a pilot’s license or become a prima ballerina or whatever. But the lower goals like food, shelter, safety can’t be brushed aside…when those are threatened the higher ones have to take a back seat. So we move up and down the pyramid.

If you reach a major goal, the rush is immense. But the feeling only lasts so long. Someone like Steve Jobs kept plugging away.

[https://www.investors.com/news/technology/top-10-steve-jobs-achievements/](https://www.investors.com/news/technology/top-10-steve-jobs-achievements/)

His achievements were clustered around technology but maybe others would have a variety of goals for the bucket list.

The rise of the middle class allowed people time to reflect. I assume 200 years ago most people worked like dogs and had little energy or time to question whether they were happy or fulfilled. It’s a double-edged sword for sure. I think the New Yorker had the cartoon where one guy says to his friend, “I’ve got a great career, tons of dear friends, a fantastic family, an incredible future, exciting plans for the future, a meaningful relationship with God but…I don’t know, something’s missing.” 🤨

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**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2020, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-googling-anything-what-does-self-actualized-mean-to-you/920161/23 "2020-09-12T19:30:43Z")

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Accepting and understanding your own internal wants, needs, strengths and weaknesses and building a life that accurately reflects those.

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