--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think of the self-actualizing man not…" description: "\"I think of the self-actualizing man not as an ordinary man with something added, but rather as the ordinary man with nothing taken away. The average m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/973/abraham-maslow-2146_average_i-think-of-the-self-actualizing-man-not_1587274.png" --- # I think of the self-actualizing man not as an ordinary man… ![“I think of the self-actualizing man not as an ordinary man with something added, but rather as the ordinary man with nothing taken away. The average man is a full human being with dampened and inhibited powers and capabilities.” quote by Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/973/abraham-maslow-2146_average_i-think-of-the-self-actualizing-man-not_1587274.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/973/abraham-maslow-2146_average_i-think-of-the-self-actualizing-man-not_1587274.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/973/abraham-maslow-2146_average_i-think-of-the-self-actualizing-man-not_1587274.png) > “I think of the self-actualizing man not as an ordinary man with something added, but rather as the ordinary man with nothing taken away. The average man is a full human being with dampened and inhibited powers and capabilities.” [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑actualization is not adding to the ordinary person but removing constraints, allowing innate potential to emerge. **In simple terms:** Self‑actualization removes limits, revealing true potential. Key Takeaway Focus on eliminating barriers to growth. Themes psychology personal development human potential Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - coaching - education - leadership - self‑improvement Key Concepts self‑actualization potential constraints growth Questions to Reflect On - What constraints are you removing? - How can you nurture innate abilities? A Different Perspective Achieving self‑actualization may be hindered by societal pressures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actualizing Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actualizing-man-6008338/) [Average](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/average/) [Average man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/average-man/) [Capability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capability/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Man Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-human-677814/) [Man Ordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-ordinary-952450/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Ordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary/) [Ordinary man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-man/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Taken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taken/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Given Pounds and five years, and an ordinary man can in the ordinary course, without any undue haste or putting any pressure upon his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-birrell/given-pounds-and-five-years-and-an-ordinary-man-can-in-the-ordinary/) [Augustine Birrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-birrell/) > [Higgins: I'm an ordinary man, who desires nothing more than just an ordinary chance, to live exactly as he likes, and do precisely what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-harrison/higgins-i-m-an-ordinary-man-who-desires-nothing-more-than-just-an/) [Rex Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-harrison/) > [I claim to be no more than an average man with below average capabilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-claim-to-be-no-more-than-an-average-man-with-below-average/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“A man must have a less than ordinary share of sense that would furnish such plain and common rooms with silver-footed couches and purple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/a-man-must-have-a-less-than-ordinary-share-of-sense-that-would/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Things happen in 'If This is a Man' that are beyond ordinary daily experience, but it is still us to whom they are happening,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-jacobson/things-happen-in-if-this-is-a-man-that-are-beyond-ordinary-daily/) [Howard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-jacobson/) > [True art is the intermediary between man's ordinary nature and his higher potentialities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-f-schumacher/true-art-is-the-intermediary-between-man-s-ordinary-nature-and-his/) [E. F. 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Apparently every baby has possibilities for self-actualisation, but most get it knocked out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/there-seems-no-intrinsic-reason-why-everyone-shouldn-t-be-self/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [Basically, I'm an emotional man and a human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-d-kumaraswamy/basically-i-m-an-emotional-man-and-a-human-being/) [H. D. Kumaraswamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-d-kumaraswamy/) ## More by Abraham Maslow > [It is unfortunate to consider all lawyers as natural Satanists many are just dumb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/it-is-unfortunate-to-consider-all-lawyers-as-natural-satanists-many/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [Laugh at what you hold sacred, and still hold it sacred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/laugh-at-what-you-hold-sacred-and-still-hold-it-sacred/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [Good psychology should include all the methodological techniques, without having loyalty to one method, one idea, or one person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/good-psychology-should-include-all-the-methodological-techniques/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [Well why not a technology of joy, of happiness?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/well-why-not-a-technology-of-joy-of-happiness/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [We fear our highest possibilities. We are generally afraid to become that which we can glimpse in our most perfect moments, under conditions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/we-fear-our-highest-possibilities-we-are-generally-afraid-to-become/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [If you love the truth, you'll trust it - that is, you will expect it to be good, beautiful, perfect, orderly, etc., in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/if-you-love-the-truth-you-ll-trust-it-that-is-you-will-expect-it-to/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [My feeling is that the concept of creativeness and the concept of the healthy, self actualizing, fully human person seem to be coming closer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/my-feeling-is-that-the-concept-of-creativeness-and-the-concept-of-the/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [We fear our highest possibility. We are generally afraid to become that which we can glimpse in our most perfect moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/we-fear-our-highest-possibility-we-are-generally-afraid-to-become/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [...the great lesson is that the sacred is in the ordinary, that it is to be found in one's daily life, in one's neighbors,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/the-great-lesson-is-that-the-sacred-is-in-the-ordinary-that-it-is-to/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [Dispassionate objectivity is itself a passion, for the real and for the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/dispassionate-objectivity-is-itself-a-passion-for-the-real-and-for/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/the-ability-to-be-in-the-present-moment-is-a-major-component-of/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [Plateau experiencing can be achieved, learned, earned by long hard work… A transient glimpse is certainly possible in the peak experiences which may, after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/plateau-experiencing-can-be-achieved-learned-earned-by-long-hard-work/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [You must want to be first-class ...meaning the best, the very best you are capable of becoming. 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