[Neurons] 2010 Meta Reflection #57 -- New Discover in Self-Actualization Psychology

[L. Michael Hall]

From: L. Michael Hall

Re: A Self-Actualization Discovery

 

 

 

Unleashing Your Real Self

 

"To be natural and spontaneous, to know what one is, and what one really
wants, is a rear and high culmination that comes infrequently, and that
usually takes long years of courage and hard work." (Maslow, Motivation and
Personality, 1970, p. 273)

 

"First and foremost find out what it is you're about, and be that.  Be what
you are and don't lose it. ... It's very hard to be who we are, because it
doesn't seem to be what anyone wants."  

Norman Lear

 

"No one can tach you how to become yourself, to take charge, to express
yourself, except you."  

Warren Bennis On Becoming a Leader (p. 51)

 

 

I began an indepth study of the pioneering work of Abraham Maslow in 2004
after re-reading Toward a Psychology of Being thinking that I would quickly
access his model for self-actualization.  When I couldn't find that model, I
then set out to read everything by Maslow and Rogers, which I did.  That
lead to several Neuro-Semantic models that now governs the Meta-Coaching
model as well as the Self-Actualization Trainings:




.                     The Meaning- Performance Axes

.                     The Self-Actualization Quadrants

.                     The Volcano of Needs (Matrix Embedded Pyramid)

 

And with these, they led also to the four Self-Actualization Workshops
(along with the books):

.                     Unleashing Vitality

.                     Unleashing Potentials

.                     Unleashing Creative Solutions

.                     Unleashing Leadership

 

The first workshop (Unleashing Potentials) details how the unleashing
process work and after presenting it some 20 times, many people commented
that the whole self-actualizing process of being unleashed from constraints
and being unleashed to felt like a lot of work-a lot of effort.  Some even
complained that they just did not have the energy or motivation to do all of
that.  So that feedback then led me to an exploration of what was needed and
what was missing.  And the answer was energy and vitality.

 

When several told me that they didn't have sufficient "motivation" to put in
the effort for the self-actualizing life, I began designing a training to
address that need.  So in this year (2010), I designed the Unleashing
Vitality workshop and presented it twice, in September I presented it in
South Africa and in November I presented it in Italy.

 

Now with every Self-Actualization Workshop, my own appreciation for the
original pioneering work of Maslow deepens.  As an aside, that's why I am
constantly amazed and shocked that the people in Positive Psychology
systematically ignore Maslow and act as if they invented "positive
psychology" or were the first people to focus on human strengths!  Yet the
fact is, they are missing out so much by ignoring Maslow. 

 

During 2010 two Neuro-Semantics Training Centers completed sponsoring all
four workshops- Cheryl Lucas and Carey Jooste in Pretoria South Africa and
Nicola Riva and Lucia Giovannini in Italy.  So this year, I presented the
Vitality workshop in Europe and Africa and in doing so, I learned a lot.

 

The Discovery

Recently, I sat down with Nicola and Lucia and Mario Mason and talked
through what really goes on in the vitality workshop.  Doing so made me
realize that I mis-named the training.  That is, "Unleashing Vitality"
under-states and actually mis-states what most participants actually
experience and take away from the experience.  So, if that is the case, then
what does "unleashing vitality" actually do and achieve?  What is the actual
delivery in that training?

 

The answer is that the training is really about unleashing your real self.
It is about identifying your authentic identity so that you discover your
unique vision and mission as you step up to the meta-needs and begin
creating a way to live the meta-life in your unique way.  And, of course, do
that and you'll have all the vitality, energy, passion, and healthful zest
that you want!  Do that and you will never have a problem with "motivation"
again.

 

So what shall we call this training?  Right now, the new title is:
Unleashing Your Real Self.  This is one of the things that Maslow said
repeatedly, "You have a real self, an inward real nature.  And if you learn
to listen to your inner voice, hear the meta-needs clamoring to be
expressed, gratify your foundational needs, then you can identify, develop,
and release your authentic self."  The problem is that the voices of society
and of others may drown out your inner voice and you not discover how to be
you- your best self.  And the problem with that?  You'll be false, not able
to be true to yourself, not know yourself, live behind a false persona, be
incongruent, and therefore not aligned with your inner energies.

 

Unleashing Your Real Self is therefore about human nature- the bright side
of human nature, and human identity and how to become fully real, authentic,
congruent, and to find your true place in life.  Do that and zestful,
healthful vitality will naturally and inevitably result!

 

Maslow on "the Search for Identity"

What did Maslow write about this search to find your real self and to
unleash your inner nature?  Here are a few quotes:

"In the intrapsychic realm, the first great task is to search for one's
identity.  Each person must find his or her true, active self, and after
that task is accomplished, then life's real problems lie ahead.  Clearly,
this task is related to finding one's vocation, or calling, or biological
destiny.  That is, what is the mission that one chooses to love and
sacrifice to?" (Maslow's Business Reader, p. 145)

 

"Most people lack a strong sense of self.  They do not know what want or
what they are looking for in life.  As a result, they are extremely
suggestible and will follow a self-confident leader rather than determine
their own destinies." (143)

 

"The persons who have achieved their identity are causers rather than
caused." (146)

"The difference between the diminished individual, wistfully yearning toward
full humanness but never quite daring to make it, verses the unleashed
individual, growing well toward her destiny, is simply the difference
between fear and courage." (317)

 

"If you deliberately plan to be less than you are capable of being, then I
warn you that you will be deeply unhappy for the rest of your life.  You
will be evading your own capacities, your own possibilities."

 

"Even if all these needs are satisfied, we may still often expect that a new
discontent and restlessness will soon develop, unless the individual is
doing what he, individually, is fitted for.  A musician must make music, an
artist must paint, a poet must write.  What a man can be, he must be.  He
must be true to his own nature.  This need we call self-actualization."
(Motivation and Personality, 1954/ 1970, p. 46) 

 

The 3 Day Training - Unleashing Your Real Self

Now that I'm a little more clear about the training, the theme of the days
of the training provide more clarity as to what you will experience and get
out of the training. 

 

Day 1: Fulfill your Needs-Driven Nature

You are an embodied creature.  That means that you have basic neurological
and physical needs as does every a higher intelligence animal.  You have
needs for survival, safety, social connection, and self-value.  But without
instincts you have to find out what these drives are and how to gratify them
effectively.  This is required for well-being, happiness, and vitality.  You
are a social being and a semantic being and you do not innately know what
these needs are or how to satisfy them.  You are instinct-less!  That's why
and how they can go astray and become distorted, even neurotic.  And when
you have gratified all of the lower, foundational needs, you are just a good
healthy animal- the unique human needs come after that.  Step one: know your
Foundational Nature and accurately gratify your needs so that you can move
on up to your highest needs!

 

Day 2: Seeking the Peak of Your Unique Identity and Meta-Needs

You are also a meta-being!  You are a being with a higher nature and higher
drives.  That's why you cannot be fully human, fully alive with vitality by
only living for the lower needs.  You have to discover, identify, and
unleash your higher, meta-needs.  As a semantic class of life, you make not
only make meaning, you must make meaning that is highly significant and
inspirational.  If you don't, you will suffer!  You will deny your full
humanity.  Conversely, do that and you create your own unique identity that
fits for your nature which will then give you a high level of aliveness,
humanness, and zestful vitality.  Mis-use your higher meta-meaning-making
powers and you will create a false and probably distorted sense of self.

 

Day 3: Peaking- Life as a Self-Actualizing Person

Seeking the peak is just the beginning.  That's because seeking alone does
not guarantee that you will stay there.  So living at the peak requires that
you develop some "peaking" skills so that you can turn on peak experiences
at will, so that you can begin to identify with and incorporate the
being-values into your personality, and so that you develop a rich
self-actualizing perspective with "the four eyes" - the innocent eye, the
integrative eye, the sacred eye, and the transformative eye.  Do that and
your whole perspective about yourself, others, the world, life, your work,
etc. changes.  It transforms so that you see things as they can be and live
to make that happen!

 

Are you ready for the adventure of a life-time?  The adventure of being a
human being, a meaning-making human being?  If the idea of becoming fully
alive/ fully human with zestful vitality excites you- then meet us at the
Unleashing Your Real Self training.

 

 

 

 

 

L.  Michael Hall, Ph.D.

Neuro-Semantics Executive Director  ----   <http://www.neurosemantics.com/>
www.neurosemantics.com

P.O. Box 8

Clifton, CO.  81520 USA                             ----
<http://www.self-actualizing.org/> www.self-actualizing.org

1 970-523-7877                                               ----
<http://www.meta-coaching.org/> www.meta-coaching.org

 

     

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