Maslow, Pavlov, and Me

Recently I've decided that I need to engage on a course of self-actualization. That is to say that I wish to become a Self Actualized person, or at least as much of one as I can be.

Now, there are quite a few things that need to happen and to no small extent the biggest in my world is that I need to overcome my Pavlovian Reflexes as they relate to my behaviour.

What does that mean?

Well, all of us have conditioned responses to certain situations and it's become clear to me lately that some of my conditioned responses are totally out of whack with my goal to become a self actualized person. A self actualized person has the following traits:

• They embrace the facts and realities of the world (including themselves) rather than denying or avoiding them.
• They are spontaneous in their ideas and actions.
• They are creative.
• They are interested in solving problems; this often includes the problems of others. Solving these problems is often a key focus in their lives.
• They feel a closeness to other people, and generally appreciate life.
• They have a system of morality that is fully internalized and independent of external authority.
• They have discernment and are able to view all things in an objective manner. Judgments and prejudices are absent.

Now I've always been pretty good at most of these but recently I've found myself floundering with spontaneity, creativity, my closeness to other people, my appreciation of life and my absence of judgements. Quite the list eh?

One of the other important parts about self actualized people is that they're more likely to have peak experiences in their lives. Now, I disagree with Maslow in that I've had peak experiences while riding my bicycle, riding my motorcycle, lifting weights, competing at Judo, practicing Judo, practicing gymnastics, writing, and sometimes just being. Personally I feel that the more areas of my life in which I can find those peak experiences or "flow" as it's often called in the sport psychology world the better my life will be.

Maslow seems to indicate that self actualized people are the ones who find their "reason for being" and make that into their work, their passion, and their life. I'm afraid that I don't have a single thing that meets those qualifications. I don't have that single overwhelming drive in my world, what I have is an incredible desire to see it all and do it all. As a result I find that I experience flow in a tremendous number of aspects of my life, which I view as a good thing.

It's been a little while since I've experienced any flow in my world and I'm looking to get it back. In no small part I can feel that state approach when I get myself wrapped up in writing this blog, it's not quite there but it's almost on top of me. I know when the motorcycle hits the asphalt again I'll have that feeling back, I live in Edmonton though so I need to find places other than the saddle of my motorcycle to experience that. I'm personally of the opinion that peak experiences and self actualization are caught together in a feedback loop, the closer you get to one the closer you are to the other and the more of one you experience the more of the other you'll experience so I'm going to look for my self actualization both through the intellectual pursuits that are necessary to achieve it but also through the achievement of more flow in my life.

What's it all mean?

It means daily meditation. I need to work on those parts of this that I can work on intellectually, I will stop being judgemental, I will become more appreciative of all the universe offers me, those sorts of things. Those are more of a viewpoint than anything and I need to sort out where my viewpoint got warped and figure out internally how best to straighten it out.

I'm also going looking for flow. I know that trying new things can open up more chances to experience that flow and I'm looking forward to it. So I'm going to look into singing lessons, I'm re-evaluating a return to school, I'm going to start practicing my Didgeridoo, I'm going to write more, and I'm going to get myself back into the gym. The one part of this it's always been within my power to control is my own body and I'm going to take that to heart now.

So, come along for the ride if you want. Your advice and comments are always welcome, even if they might seem negative to you.

Let's see what the universe has to offer.