In 1943, Abraham Maslow proposed his five-tier hierarchy of needs, represented as a pyramid. People’s psychological needs are at the very bottom of the pyramid, followed by safety needs, belonging and love needs, and esteem needs. To reach the self-actualization stage that is at the very top of the pyramid, we first need to fulfill our basic psychological needs.
The process of self-actualization means reaching one’s full potential. This is human beings’ innate desire to accomplish everything they can and become the best versions of themselves. Unsurprisingly, learning is a fundamental aspect of self-actualization.
Unfortunately, learning something new is not always a matter of willingness or motivation. With so many private and professional obligations, devoting time to improving our skills and knowledge may seem impossible.
Here are a few learning practices that will help you on your way to self-actualization.
Have a Personal Development Plan
To self-actualize, you first need to observe yourself holistically. Stop adapting to society and comparing yourself to others. Accept your true self. Define your major strengths. Identify authority within yourself. Confront your fears. Accept guilt. Understand your major causes of frustration. Resolve anger.
Above all, don’t let dissatisfaction with your current life discourage you from self-actualizing. Remember that you are the one in control. By understanding your strengths and weaknesses, you can easier choose your path to self-actualization. You will be able to determine your personal vision statement and build a self-actualization plan to fully realize your potential.
Leverage Sophisticated Technologies
In the past, traditional learning and eLearning were observed as separate, often conflicting, environments. Today, this is not so. With the rise of hyperconnected digital ecosystems, the internet and e-learning resources have become a necessity. Online learning platforms are simpler and more efficient, as they align with your goals, schedule, and learning pace. They adapt to your specific needs, show your progress in real-time, and motivate you to keep learning.
Let’s take the example of high school students who often struggle to read and revise the same notes over and over again in order to memorize the material needed for passing the exam. Precisely because of that, many students turn to online platforms such as Thinkswap. It provides users with notes taken by other students, so as to give a different point of view on the same topic. The HSC study notes are useful because when the topic is formulated a bit differently, the brain is tricked. It starts believing that this is new information and memorizes it more easily. All of the notes are hand checked and they cover various topics, such as Business Studies, Chemistry, Biology, etc.
Visualize Everything You Learn
Research says that 65% of the population are visual learners. By visualizing data, humans easier understand, memorize, and retain it. The best thing about using data visualization lies in the fact that almost everything you learn can be visualized.
For example, when learning new vocabulary words, you could highlight all verbs in green, all nouns in blue, and adjectives in orange. When trying to memorize a complicated yoga pose, drawing a simple illustration may help you. Or, when trying to memorize the latest research statistics, why not diagram them or create charts? You just need to find the right visual stimuli you will associate with what you are learning.
Never Stop Learning
During your learning process, you first need to see yourself without judgment and set achievable learning goals. Once you achieve a goal or master a certain skill, you should not give up. There is no such thing as perfection on your journey towards self-actualization. Most importantly, there is no room for excuses, such as “I have plenty of time to learn that.”
It is important to understand that self-actualization is a lifelong process. It is all about your motivation and willingness to improve. Learn something new every day, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem. Share the knowledge you have gained with your friends and family. Most importantly, go beyond your needs. When striving to improve our lives we often lose sight of other people’s struggles. Selflessly helping the people around us is also an important aspect of the self-actualization process.
Over to You
Maslow concludes that self-actualization is a sign of positive mental health. It means that we are aware of our strengths and weaknesses and are determined to use them when walking our path toward self-mastery. Sure, keep in mind that you cannot self-actualize overnight. This is a long-term process that requires lots of patience.
You will first need to get to know the true you. Next, you need to determine who you want to become and put together an achievable personal development plan. Make the process of learning simpler by using innovative technologies and visual learning tactics. Finally, never stop learning and improving yourself, both personally and professionally.
What learning practices do you use to reach your full potential? We are listening!