One of the vaguest concepts in the English language would have to be the self. One individual's concept of "self" may be completely different from what it means to another.
Modern society's vocabulary is full of expressions like "self-actualization" and "self-concept," among others. But what is the self? Is it something to find? Is it an end or is it a means to something greater?
Defining the Self
For some, "the self" can be defined is a combination of beliefs, ideas, principles, personal perspectives and values that one has chosen to live by, combined with one's current life circumstances.
Although many individuals, like those who subscribe to the behaviorist's school of thought, believe that a person’s actions are mostly affected by external stimuli (circumstances), a person's background, beliefs, personal ideas. It's thought that an individual's point of view on those circumstances is what ultimately determines a person's reaction.
Failure to consider one's internal motivations is problematic, according to those who hold this view. This assumption is shared by the Social Cognitive psychologists and the Gestaltists, who tend to look at the human as being more complex than random groups of cells that react to the whims of their surroundings.
The Self in a Constant Flux
If one accepts that "the self" is the combination of circumstances and perspectives, personal beliefs, ideas, and principles of individuals, it becomes evident that the self is in a constant state of evolution and flux.
An individual is always in the process of creating and reinventing the self as circumstances and personal ideals change due to interactions with the world and new information. Sure, at certain times in life, one must stand for something; but the willingness to adapt and change should always be open as one develops and grows.
Like nature often shows humanity, those who can’t adapt become extinct. Therefore, one must evolve every day, as one grows one day wiser, one day stronger and one day closer to self-actualization.
Choice the Ultimate Liberator
Someone who is self-actualized understands their ideas, beliefs, values, principles and perspectives relative to the outer world. They also go a step beyond that and attempt to control the variables associated with the self in order to reach their true potential. They do that with the choices they make in their everyday life.
Choices are what sets mankind free and give him an opportunity to truly grow into who he wants to be instead of what nature intends him to be. By becoming self-actualized, one can begin to gain control of ones personal destiny; instead of being victims to the whims of the times, the places, and circumstances.
Self-Actualization and Nonconformity
Self-actualized individuals also comprehend that change is a natural part of the human experience, and that they must change as well. Nonetheless, they are not governed by the currents of change because they are aware of the reasons for change. So, in many ways, even if they appear to be conforming to the trends of the time, they are nonconformists because they are not simply accepting what is happening around them, but they are adapting to it for a greater means.
“If there must be change, let us not simply accept its inevitability, but allow ourselves to question whether this change be right, rational, and just,” a self-actualized person might wonder. Furthermore, self-actualization is not a state of mind; it is a journey that for some may never lead to an end, as the self is in a constant flux.
In certain cases, all a person can hope for is a deeper understanding of their ideals, beliefs, values, and perspectives relative to the outer world without ever discovering the inner-most root circumstances that lead them to these assumptions and beliefs. So in essence, self-actualization is not an end, but a state that is on a continuum.
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