According to Maslow, Self Actualization refers to the desire for achieving what you've got the potential to achieve. Maslow goes on to identify some characteristics of Self Actualizing people, such as Realistic, Detached, Self Accepting, Spontaneous, unconventional, autonomously ethical, and motivated to continual growth. (Holy run on sentence, batman!)
The key takeaway that Maslow says defines an SA person is that the person has a mission in life requiring much energy, as it is his sole reason for existence.
One reason for living? Come on now. I think Maslow is full of shit. There are some merits to that perspective, but who in their right mind lives for only one thing? The thing I live for most is taking care of my family, but I wouldn't say its the only thing I live for.
What Maslow lays out seem to be a set of rules for people to live by and their achieve goals, but its a stretch to say that someone who achieves their potential is Self Actualizing or has all of these traits.
If SA is really a goal based set of rules to live by, then I'll agree with one thing; Maslow says there are two processes necessary for self-actualization: self exploration and action. The deeper the self exploration, the closer one comes to self-actualization. Sort of along the lines of "know thyself".
