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[INTJ] INTJ and Self Actualization

INTJ123

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Have you guys heard of Maslow's theories on self actualization? It seems to me that the INTJ exhibits many of the same behaviors that are associated to self actualization (probably alot of other types too INTP is almost the same as INTJ but I know my type best).

How many of you intjs here feel you have had self actualizing experiences? If so can you describe the experience. I'm not saying intj are all going to be self actualized, it's not even a constant state, and every individual is unique, but I do think the intj is more likely to get there.
 

BlackCat

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I think this may have something to do with tertiary Fi, and ISTJs may do this as well.
 

Shimmy

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1. According to Maslow you'll always first look satisfy your physiological needs. In the western society this is easy as there is plenty for even the poorest of people. We've got social security and even begging helps you fulfil these needs.
In some of the poorest countries in the world fulfilling these needs can still be difficult however.

2. When physiological needs are met you'll start looking for security. Protection from danger and violence. People want a general sense of safety. Most people in western society don't have a problem fulfilling these needs either. We've got families, police, laws, healthcare etc.

3. Next up the piramid is love and belonging needs. This is the first step where your environment actually plays only a smaller part then yourself. In wealthier nations this also shouldn't be too much of a problem for most people, but it nevertheless is individual based. Obviously people who haven't satisfied the first two needs can still have friends and love, but it will just not be their highest need priority.

4. Esteem needs refers to the need to be a unique person in the world who is respected by himself and others. A lot of people have difficulty satisfying these needs. It requires people to offer all they can, and do this in such a way that it helps themselves and those around them. I myself am working mainly to achieve this scale.

5. The need for self actualisation is the highest up the pyramid. Achieving this requires people to be in full control of their lives. Self actualisation doesn't necessarily have anything to do with improving and using skills or getting better jobs, but more with achieving what you can and want to in general. The moment you can say that you can get all you want to be the happiest person you can be, you'll have achieved this step. And realistically, how many people do you know who never think they would rather have something different about their life, but they don't know how to change it.

maslow.gif
 

INTJ123

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1. According to Maslow you'll always first look satisfy your physiological needs. In the western society this is easy as there is plenty for even the poorest of people. We've got social security and even begging helps you fulfil these needs.
In some of the poorest countries in the world fulfilling these needs can still be difficult however.

2. When physiological needs are met you'll start looking for security. Protection from danger and violence. People want a general sense of safety. Most people in western society don't have a problem fulfilling these needs either. We've got families, police, laws, healthcare etc.

3. Next up the piramid is love and belonging needs. This is the first step where your environment actually plays only a smaller part then yourself. In wealthier nations this also shouldn't be too much of a problem for most people, but it nevertheless is individual based. Obviously people who haven't satisfied the first two needs can still have friends and love, but it will just not be their highest need priority.

4. Esteem needs refers to the need to be a unique person in the world who is respected by himself and others. A lot of people have difficulty satisfying these needs. It requires people to offer all they can, and do this in such a way that it helps themselves and those around them. I myself am working mainly to achieve this scale.

5. The need for self actualisation is the highest up the pyramid. Achieving this requires people to be in full control of their lives. Self actualisation doesn't necessarily have anything to do with improving and using skills or getting better jobs, but more with achieving what you can and want to in general. The moment you can say that you can get all you want to be the happiest person you can be, you'll have achieved this step. And realistically, how many people do you know who never think they would rather have something different about their life, but they don't know how to change it.

maslow.gif


That's the jist of it, but like I said, self actualization is not a constant state, if your food supply is suddenly cut off, you will go back to the first step as your immediate priority is physiological well being. Also there are certain detailed characteristic about self actualized people that they describe. Give me a bit and I'll come back to post them.
 

INTJ123

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The 15 Characteristics of Self Actualized people

1.Realisticly Oriented - More Efficient perception of reality, and has comfortable relations with it(reality), this is extented to all areas of life. Unthreatened and unfrightened by the unknown. Has a superior ability to reason, to see the truth, and is logical and efficient.

2.Self acceptance - accepts self, and others in the natural world the way they are. Sees human nature as is.

3.Spontaniety - simplicity, naturalness, Spontaneous in inner life, thoughts and impulses unhampered by convention, ethics are autonomous, motivated to continue growth.

4.Focus of problem centering - focuses on problems and people outside of himself, has a mission in life requiring much energy as it is his sole reason for existence, serene, characterized by a lack of worry, devoted to duty.

5.Detatchment - The need for privacy, can be alone and not be lonely, retains dignity amidst confusion all the while remaining objective, self starter, responsible for themselves, owns their behavior.

6.Autonomy - Independent of culture and environment, has a fresh rather than stereotyped appreciation of people, and the basic good in life. Lives the present moment to the fullest.

7.Peak experiences - The conviction that something extremely important and valuable had happened. Loss of Placement in time and space. To strengthen through such experiences.

8.Interpersonal relations - Identity, sympathy, affection, kinship with good, bad, and ugly. Profound intimate relationships with few, capable of greater love than others consider possible.

9.Democratic values and attitudes - Able to learn from anyone, humble, friendly regaurdless of class, education, political belief, or race.

10.Discrimination between means and ends and between good and evil - Does not confuse between means and ends and does no wrong, getting to goal not just the result, own inner moral standards(appearing immoral to others).

11.Philosophical, unhostile humor - Jokes are teaching metaphors, Doesn't make jokes to hurt others, can laugh at himself.

12.Creativity - Enjoys an inborn uniqueness that carries over in eveything they do, original, inventive, uninhibited, sees the real and true more easily.

13.Resistance to enculturation - Transcendence of any particular culture, inner detatchment from culture. Working for long term culture improvement, indignation with injustice, inner autonomy, outer acceptance, ability to transcend the evironment rather than just cope.

14.Imperfection - Painfully aware of their own imperfections, and joyfully aware of their own growth process, impatient with themselves when stuck.

15.Values - Realistically human due to philosophical acceptance of self, human nature, physical reality, and nature.

16.Resolution of dichotomies - Polar opposites merge into a third higher phenomena as though the two have united, therefor opposite forces are no longer felt as conflict. Desires are in excellent accord with reason.

The self actualized person retains child like qualities yet remains wise.

Peak Experiences - monumental experiences. examples, winning gold medal, discovering theory of relativity, falling in love ect.

Feelings of intense happyness, heightened sense of reality, expansion of awareness, sense of oneness with the universe, extreme clarity of thought and understanding.

"People in peak experiences are most their identities, closest to their real selves, most idiosyncratic." - Abraham Maslow

The Peak experience respresents a significant change in perception in the way one views the world.

In (negative) psychiatry they might even label it as a bipolar manic episode.

Maslow believed peak experiences were a defining part in self actualization.
Self actualized people have more frequent and longer lasting experiences.
 

Shimmy

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Yes, I agree that people can and will always to work on self-actualisation, but it's hardly ever the primary need for most people, INTJs no exception.
 

onemoretime

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I've always wondered about that esteem block - various Eastern philosophies emphasize the denial of self, which seems to be the opposite of esteem as defined there, and yet, they seem to be able to reach a state of actualization.

I just had a thought - maybe it isn't esteem so much as it is the establishment of place within the cultural whole. In the West, that would precipitate esteem, as individualism is a strong cultural norm. In other cultures, individualism is much more frowned upon, so perhaps this would be replaced by acceptance of the benefits of one's participation in the collective whole? Instead of being valued as a unique individual, this need is satisfied by valuation as a vital part of the group's identity?

Your thoughts?
 

Misty_Mountain_Rose

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The 15 Characteristics of Self Actualized people

1.Realisticly Oriented - More Efficient perception of reality, and has comfortable relations with it(reality), this is extented to all areas of life. Unthreatened and unfrightened by the unknown. Has a superior ability to reason, to see the truth, and is logical and efficient.

2.Self acceptance - accepts self, and others in the natural world the way they are. Sees human nature as is.

3.Spontaniety - simplicity, naturalness, Spontaneous in inner life, thoughts and impulses unhampered by convention, ethics are autonomous, motivated to continue growth.

4.Focus of problem centering - focuses on problems and people outside of himself, has a mission in life requiring much energy as it is his sole reason for existence, serene, characterized by a lack of worry, devoted to duty.

5.Detatchment - The need for privacy, can be alone and not be lonely, retains dignity amidst confusion all the while remaining objective, self starter, responsible for themselves, owns their behavior.

6.Autonomy - Independent of culture and environment, has a fresh rather than stereotyped appreciation of people, and the basic good in life. Lives the present moment to the fullest.

7.Peak experiences - The conviction that something extremely important and valuable had happened. Loss of Placement in time and space. To strengthen through such experiences.

8.Interpersonal relations - Identity, sympathy, affection, kinship with good, bad, and ugly. Profound intimate relationships with few, capable of greater love than others consider possible.

9.Democratic values and attitudes - Able to learn from anyone, humble, friendly regaurdless of class, education, political belief, or race.

10.Discrimination between means and ends and between good and evil - Does not confuse between means and ends and does no wrong, getting to goal not just the result, own inner moral standards(appearing immoral to others).

11.Philosophical, unhostile humor - Jokes are teaching metaphors, Doesn't make jokes to hurt others, can laugh at himself.

12.Creativity - Enjoys an inborn uniqueness that carries over in eveything they do, original, inventive, uninhibited, sees the real and true more easily.

13.Resistance to enculturation - Transcendence of any particular culture, inner detatchment from culture. Working for long term culture improvement, indignation with injustice, inner autonomy, outer acceptance, ability to transcend the evironment rather than just cope.

14.Imperfection - Painfully aware of their own imperfections, and joyfully aware of their own growth process, impatient with themselves when stuck.

15.Values - Realistically human due to philosophical acceptance of self, human nature, physical reality, and nature.

16.Resolution of dichotomies - Polar opposites merge into a third higher phenomena as though the two have united, therefor opposite forces are no longer felt as conflict. Desires are in excellent accord with reason.

The self actualized person retains child like qualities yet remains wise.

Peak Experiences - monumental experiences. examples, winning gold medal, discovering theory of relativity, falling in love ect.

Feelings of intense happyness, heightened sense of reality, expansion of awareness, sense of oneness with the universe, extreme clarity of thought and understanding.

"People in peak experiences are most their identities, closest to their real selves, most idiosyncratic." - Abraham Maslow

The Peak experience respresents a significant change in perception in the way one views the world.

In (negative) psychiatry they might even label it as a bipolar manic episode.

Maslow believed peak experiences were a defining part in self actualization.
Self actualized people have more frequent and longer lasting experiences.

While I know that I have a long way to go toward learning about myself... I found myself nodding at a lot of the things on this list. The part that I still struggle with is the 'need/desire' to help others and do good for the community. My thoughts stay so selfishly focused often times that thinking of others tends to come in second.

The fact though that I'm aware of it and try to work on it makes me wonder if INTJ's do have the tendency toward Self Actualization... but I don't know if its moreso than any other type. I'm not entirely sold on it being a type thing at all.

What makes a person all of these things though? What makes one person work at constantly understanding themselves and another not? What gives a person the drive to make real, and sometimes difficult changes, where another person is content with their lot?
 

Frank

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689
The 15 Characteristics of Self Actualized people

1.Realisticly Oriented - More Efficient perception of reality, and has comfortable relations with it(reality), this is extented to all areas of life. Unthreatened and unfrightened by the unknown. Has a superior ability to reason, to see the truth, and is logical and efficient.

2.Self acceptance - accepts self, and others in the natural world the way they are. Sees human nature as is.

3.Spontaniety - simplicity, naturalness, Spontaneous in inner life, thoughts and impulses unhampered by convention, ethics are autonomous, motivated to continue growth.

4.Focus of problem centering - focuses on problems and people outside of himself, has a mission in life requiring much energy as it is his sole reason for existence, serene, characterized by a lack of worry, devoted to duty.

5.Detatchment - The need for privacy, can be alone and not be lonely, retains dignity amidst confusion all the while remaining objective, self starter, responsible for themselves, owns their behavior.

6.Autonomy - Independent of culture and environment, has a fresh rather than stereotyped appreciation of people, and the basic good in life. Lives the present moment to the fullest.

7.Peak experiences - The conviction that something extremely important and valuable had happened. Loss of Placement in time and space. To strengthen through such experiences.

8.Interpersonal relations - Identity, sympathy, affection, kinship with good, bad, and ugly. Profound intimate relationships with few, capable of greater love than others consider possible.

9.Democratic values and attitudes - Able to learn from anyone, humble, friendly regaurdless of class, education, political belief, or race.

10.Discrimination between means and ends and between good and evil - Does not confuse between means and ends and does no wrong, getting to goal not just the result, own inner moral standards(appearing immoral to others).

11.Philosophical, unhostile humor - Jokes are teaching metaphors, Doesn't make jokes to hurt others, can laugh at himself.

12.Creativity - Enjoys an inborn uniqueness that carries over in eveything they do, original, inventive, uninhibited, sees the real and true more easily.

13.Resistance to enculturation - Transcendence of any particular culture, inner detatchment from culture. Working for long term culture improvement, indignation with injustice, inner autonomy, outer acceptance, ability to transcend the evironment rather than just cope.

14.Imperfection - Painfully aware of their own imperfections, and joyfully aware of their own growth process, impatient with themselves when stuck.

15.Values - Realistically human due to philosophical acceptance of self, human nature, physical reality, and nature.

16.Resolution of dichotomies - Polar opposites merge into a third higher phenomena as though the two have united, therefor opposite forces are no longer felt as conflict. Desires are in excellent accord with reason.

The self actualized person retains child like qualities yet remains wise.

Peak Experiences - monumental experiences. examples, winning gold medal, discovering theory of relativity, falling in love ect.

Feelings of intense happyness, heightened sense of reality, expansion of awareness, sense of oneness with the universe, extreme clarity of thought and understanding.

"People in peak experiences are most their identities, closest to their real selves, most idiosyncratic." - Abraham Maslow

The Peak experience respresents a significant change in perception in the way one views the world.

In (negative) psychiatry they might even label it as a bipolar manic episode.

Maslow believed peak experiences were a defining part in self actualization.
Self actualized people have more frequent and longer lasting experiences.

When looking at this list it seems that a person would have to have a fair amount of strength in all of the functions to reach this state. Healthy ni and te do seem to cover quite a few of them though.
 

INTJ123

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I'm not saying you have to have all these characteristics, I believe everyone is unique in their journey to self actualization.
 

Frank

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Ah. I misread. When you posted them as "the fifteen characteristics of self actualization" I assumed all fifteen were needed to reach what Maslow theorized this state to be.
 
G

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It seems that a lot of those 16 traits can fit different types' stereotypical "default" states. We all just have to grow in different ways to reach the same sort of self-actualization that we're striving for. INTJs would be the kings and queens of #1 and #5, especially.
 

INTJ123

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in order to understand what self actualization really is, you have to have gone through the process yourself, if you never had a peak experience, then it's unlikely you will understand. So until someone shares an experience, I'm not going to believe anyone here knows what self actualization is.
 

Frank

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What were Maslow's examples of peak experiences in his own life that lead you to believe there is credibility to this theory in the first place? I would be interested in reading some of those if you could point me in the right direction.
 

INTJ123

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Perhaps one of his peak experiences was the development of this theory? And it's not HIS experience that leads me to believe his theory has credibility, it's MY experience. Just because I havn't shared any of my experiences here doesn't mean I havn't had any. I was just interested in other's experiences, if they have had any.
 

Frank

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Perhaps it could have been or perhaps not. Personally I have had what I would consider peak experiences but like you I am not currently sharing. I think a "peak experience" is something that cannot really be explained to someone else. It would be like explaining an orgasm in the technical sense as opposed to experiencing it. Alot gets lost in the translation.
 

INTJ123

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Perhaps it could have been or perhaps not. Personally I have had what I would consider peak experiences but like you I am not currently sharing. I think a "peak experience" is something that cannot really be explained to someone else. It would be like explaining an orgasm in the technical sense as opposed to experiencing it. Alot gets lost in the translation.

Well unlike you I do not have a problem articulating my experiences, my reason for not sharing is for another reason, I'll usually get attacked for it.
 

Frank

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Articulating how it is a peak experience sounds like a problem for you. I doubt anyone would attack you for this if they truly understood it.
 

INTJ123

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Articulating how it is a peak experience sounds like a problem for you. I doubt anyone would attack you for this if they truly understood it.

Why don't you quit making excuses and share your experience. Quit wasting my time it's obvious you never heard of this until I made this thread, and now you know everything but you just have trouble explaining it huh?
 

INTJ123

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also the lack of activity here leads me to believe no one here has had an experience. I should look elsewhere.
 
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