Have you ever wondered how famous and successful people got to where they are today? A Do you want to change your own life? Make it better and more interesting, achieve real success?

Whatever the specific reasons for the success of a person, the main thing that characterizes everyone successful people- this is a high level of their personal self-realization.

By self-realization, humanitarian psychology, the founder of which is considered the famous American psychologist and philosopher A. Maslow ***, understands the state of fulfillment of a person’s inner nature. Self-realization means becoming more and more fully yourself, expressing your inner essence on the external level of life. This is what makes a person an extraordinary person.

Self-realization is the discovery of one's own capabilities - and this is the path that leads a person to a happier and more successful life.

Self-realization is the highest human need

Psychology and neurophysiology generally proceed from the fact that modern man realizes on average only 5-10% of its potential. If you imagine that a pianist uses only his left little finger when playing, you will get a clear idea of ​​what this means. Can such a game bring pleasure to the pianist himself, not to mention success with the audience?

A. Maslow is the author of the hierarchical model of human needs - the so-called " pyramids of needs"The “higher” the level of needs, the more happiness their fulfillment can bring a person. The highest level of happiness and satisfaction is brought by" higher“needs that are directly related to a person’s self-realization and self-development.

However, for now more " inferior“needs are not satisfied, it is difficult for a person to turn his attention to needs of a higher order and feel the joy that they are able to give. Everyday worries about food and clothing, work and housing often completely absorb a person. There is little joy and little meaning in such a life. From the point of view of A. Maslow, this is a kind of preparation for life, rather than actual life. It is no coincidence that many people modern society experience frustration, depression associated with a vague or obvious awareness of the routine and meaninglessness of their existence, their unrealization. According to doctors who spoke at International Conference WHO, held in Moscow on April 28, 2011, about 30% of the population of the Western world suffers from depression, and in 20 years this figure will be 50%.

The last three levels: "cognition", "aesthetic needs" and "self-realization" are collectively called the "need for self-expression" or spiritual needs.

A. Maslow proceeds from the fact that human life acquires more meaning and satisfaction the more is done to implement the so-called " extreme" or " core values" i.e. love, freedom, truth, justice and beauty.

But feedback is also important: the higher the level of a person’s self-realization (the level of disclosure of one’s own abilities), the easier the person achieves his goals in terms of satisfying lower-order needs. Self-realization means the growth of a person’s personal effectiveness in any area of ​​life.

As a result, a self-realized person keeps idealism and materialism, “higher” and “lower” in balance. The material side of life brings him the same satisfaction as the spiritual one.

Self-realization - personality maturity

Self-realization means the fullest possible disclosure of not only individual, but also universal qualities inherent in every developed human being.

Self-realization is the formation of certain personality qualities that most fully reflect the inner nature of a person, which is perfect.

The inner nature of a person is consciousness, which, being the most essential characteristic of a person, determines the entire style of his thinking and behavior. Therefore, self-realization is directly related to unlocking the full potential of human consciousness. We can say that self-realization is an indicator of a certain inner maturity of consciousness person. More and more complete use of the potential of a person’s consciousness makes him an increasingly perfect person.

A. Maslow studied people who became extraordinary individuals (artists, entrepreneurs and politicians). As a result, he established the signs that characterize self-realized people.

1. Those who have achieved the goal of revealing their own capabilities (self-realization) perceive reality more clearly. He is able to better distinguish between reality and hope, expectation or faith.
2. A self-actualized person accepts himself as he is.
3. The behavior of someone who has achieved a high level of self-realization is characterized by spontaneity, simplicity and naturalness. Artificiality and passion for effects are alien to him.
4. A person who has achieved self-realization is focused not on himself, but on solving the problem. He is not overly concerned with himself, but lives to accomplish a task, goal, or mission that is important to everyone. A self-actualized person acts with responsibility, and not as a “chess piece.”
5. Loneliness does not oppress him. He is self-sufficient.
6. People who have achieved a high degree of self-realization more easily endure the so-called “blows of fate,” deprivation, frustration, etc. They are more independent of the influences of the surrounding world. This lifts them above their circumstances, allowing them to direct their lives in the direction they want.
7. They are able to constantly re-evaluate the basic life values, no matter what impression it may make on other people. This also means that self-actualized people never experience boredom.
8. People who achieved self-realization sometimes experienced mystical feelings, such as: unlimited possibilities, indescribable surprise in relation to reality, the infinity of time and space, etc.
9. Self-realization makes the relationships of people who have achieved it with other people more fulfilling and harmonious. Self-actualized people feel connected to others more clearly than the average person, but their circle of close friends is limited.
10. People who have achieved self-realization have a democratic character: they are equally friendly towards people of any type. They are always open to learning something from everyone.
11. Such people have clear moral ideas and strong ethical principles. They do not need to be told what is right and what is wrong; but their views on good and evil often do not coincide with the opinion of the majority.
12. They understand humor, but do not laugh at malicious jokes that hurt other people, as well as jokes that ridicule the weaknesses of others. Therefore, compared to " ordinary people"They look reserved.
13. Creativity, originality or ingenuity are indispensable companions of self-realization and are inherent in all self-realized people. Self-actualized people constantly come up with new ideas.
14. People with high level Self-realization people are quite tolerant, but in critical situations they show determination and courage.
15. Self-actualized people are extremely devoted to their family.

Self-realization and Transcendental Meditation Technique

Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation technique is simple and effective way development of a person’s full mental potential and growth in the level of his self-realization. As confirmed by numerous tests conducted with meditators, after 2 months of meditation, the subjects showed progress in such indicators as integration and personality stability, emotional maturity, determination, high self-esteem, ability to support a good relationship, flexibility in achieving goals, adaptability to difficult conditions and other characteristics characteristic of a person with a high level of self-realization.

During meditation, deep stresses and tensions accumulated over a lifetime, which are the cause of all stereotypical reactions and patterns of behavior inherent in the psyche of a person, dissolve. This removes the blocks and restrictions that usually weigh on a person throughout his life, and allows him to reveal all his wealth inner world person.

Meditation increases self-esteem and allows you to integrate certain suppressed parts of your personality. It eliminates the need to constantly suppress your qualities, which are considered negative. Instead, it provides the meditator with the opportunity to listen to his inner self. Here's how one of the women meditators put it:

"I used to learn to be what others wanted me to be. The price for this was losing contact with myself. With meditation, the sense of my personality came to life again. Slowly but surely, I began to feel various features of my inner reality. I became freer and freer be guided in your thoughts and actions own experience. I began to trust my own impressions and feel more and more confident. Meditation gave me a chance to reconnect with myself. I agree to be who I am, without the help of constant orders and instructions like: “Say something too,” “Be more attentive,” etc. And suddenly everything went much easier and more natural.”

Meditation eliminates the very cause of all thought patterns and “vicious circles” and releases forces that can change patterns of behavior that lead to stagnation and self-destruction.

Self-realization is a natural, automatic consequence of the development of consciousness that occurs as a result of meditation. Discovering one's own capabilities is a natural process that begins when there is no significant mental resistance in the consciousness of the person himself.

Self-realization is the goal of life

Self-realization, self-disclosure means, according to A. Maslow, the process leading to becoming more humane. Self-realization leads to achieving a higher degree of perfection, to becoming more and more person.

Self-realization- the most complete realization of one’s own inner nature is the true goal of every person’s life.

“Man by nature strives for a fulfilled and absolute being, for an ever more complete realization of his existence - just as an acorn strives to become an oak tree.”

A. Maslow

Yu. Sycheva, Candidate of Economic Sciences,
Transcendental Meditation Teacher

*** Abraham Maslow (English: Abraham Maslow, April 1, 1908 - June 8, 1970) is a prominent American psychologist, founder of humanistic psychology. His ideas are most fully outlined in his 1954 book, Motivation and Personality.

Each personality is unique in its own way. The life path of an individual person can never be repeated. But if the length of our life is destined from above, then its width depends only on us. And here many people have a problem and it lies in the self-realization of a person as an individual. Some manage to find their niche, others spend their entire lives searching, and still others even live best years wasted. How to find yourself and reach your full potential? This is what we will talk about now.

Psychology of personal self-realization

Self-realization is not only a process of personal improvement and self-knowledge. This is also the result of constant growth and working with internal potential. People who were able to realize their inner resources are usually said to have achieved success in life. However, for this to happen, a person must constantly develop. Psychological problems Personal self-realization lies in the discrepancy between a person’s energetic and intellectual potential and the degree of its actualization. In other words, due to various life circumstances, the true potential of an individual may not coincide with the final result of its activities. This often leads to feelings of dissatisfaction own life. Despite this, the need for self-realization remains in every individual, and this phenomenon has already for a long time studied by the world's leading psychologists.

In his research, S.L. Rubinstein came to the conclusion that the main mechanism of personality formation is motives. They manifest themselves in a person’s thoughts and actions. If, for example, a person takes responsibility, courage in making decisions and works with his fears, then subsequently these actions will take root in his consciousness in the form of certain character traits. As a result, all new properties will be connected into a single system, with the help of which a person will be able, or vice versa, will not be able to reveal himself.

K. Rogers identified two personality types:

• fully functioning;
• unadapted.

However, his other colleague S. Maddi compared several theories of personality and took the following characteristics of a full-fledged person as a basis for his research:

• creativity – without it, personal fulfillment in life is impossible;
• the “here and now” principle - includes the mobility of the individual, its high adaptability and spontaneity in decision making;
• freedom of action in all life situations- a feeling of control over your life.

Strategies for personal self-realization

Self-realization is a process that lasts throughout a person’s life. It becomes possible only when the individual himself realizes his abilities, interests and needs. In other words, a person’s entire life is built on a chain of actions aimed at self-realization and achieving life goals. To succeed in life, it is important to make efforts that consist of certain strategies. The implementation of these strategies is the main condition for personal self-realization.

As a person’s age changes, his needs change, which means that goals and life strategies also change. For example, in youth a person begins to make his choice professional activity, and many at first begin to resolve issues of their personal life. When the first stage of self-realization has been achieved and a person has acquired a family and profession, correction and modification of strategies begins. When the need to acquire a position disappears, adaptation to this position, environment, etc. begins. As for the family, something similar happens there too. Strategies are chosen by the individual, taking into account age, character and needs. Although there are often cases when the “here and now” principle is triggered, when a person does not have time to think or the benefit of the action that comes up is obvious.

A reasonable question arises - what are the ways of personal self-realization? What tools does a person use to achieve social recognition and take his place in life? It's actually quite simple. Every day we reveal ourselves in work, in hobbies and interests, and recently a new way of self-realization has appeared - the global network and global information space. However, the main and main means through which a person’s full potential passes is creativity. Psychologists believe that only creative activity can lead a person to above-standard activity without pursuing any specific goal. In other words, creativity is a voluntary activity on which a person is ready to spend all his strength in order to express himself and his capabilities. But what motivates a person to work long and painstakingly on himself? These are generally well known and universal human values, needs and mechanisms.

It is known that the fullest development of a person’s abilities is possible only in socially significant activities. Moreover, it is important that the implementation of this activity is determined not only from the outside (by society), but also by the internal need of the individual himself. The activity of the individual in this case becomes amateur activity, and the realization of his abilities in this activity acquires the character of self-realization. Z. Freud was one of the first who tried to see the need for self-realization in the dominant human instincts. Self-realization, according to S. Freud, is localized in the unconscious layer of the human psyche and manifests itself in the “striving for pleasure,” inherent in man from birth. This instinctive need for self-realization is opposed by the imperative demands of culture imposed by society (norms, traditions, rules, etc.), the main function of which is to censor the unconscious, to suppress such instinctual needs.

E. Fromm devotes many pages to characterizing the need for self-realization. He connects it with human needs for identification and integrity. A person, Freud notes, differs from an animal in that he strives to go beyond immediate utilitarian needs, wants to know not only what he needs to survive, but also strives to know the meaning of life and the essence of his “I”. This self-realization is achieved by the individual with the help of the system of orientations he develops in communicating with other people. Identification is that “feeling” that allows an individual to rightly speak of himself as “I,” and the social environment actively influences this need. The need for self-realization, according to Fromm, is an existential need - a mental state that is eternal and unchangeable at its core. Social conditions can only change the ways of its satisfaction: it can find a way out in creativity and destruction, in love and crime, etc.

For materialist thinkers, there is no doubt that the human desire for self-realization is not instinctive, but phylogenetic in origin and owes its existence to the “second human nature,” which includes:

A) work method existence;

b) presence of consciousness;

c) a specific human type of relationship between people - communication using a second signaling system. Thanks to this, man became a “social animal.” But the social development of man was accompanied by the formation of such a fundamental, purely human need, which was the desire for isolation. It was the desire for isolation, which became possible at a certain historical stage in the development of society, that was a prerequisite for the development of human individuality, and, consequently, the need for self-realization. Thus, it follows that the need, the desire for self-realization is a generic human need.

The peculiarity of the need for self-realization is that satisfying it in single acts of activity (for example, writing a novel, creating work of art) personality can never satisfy her completely.

Satisfying the basic need for self-realization in various types activity, the individual pursues his life goals, finds his place in the system of social connections and relationships. It would be a crude utopia to construct a single model of self-realization “in general.”

That is why, when speaking about a comprehensive and harmoniously developed personality, it is necessary to emphasize not only the richness and comprehensiveness of its abilities, but also (and no less important) the richness and diversity of needs, in the satisfaction of which a person’s comprehensive self-realization is achieved.

Creativity is a derivative of an individual’s realization of unique potentials in a certain area. Therefore, there is a direct connection between the process of creativity and the realization of human abilities in socially significant activities, which acquire the character of self-realization.

It is known that the fullest development of a person’s abilities is possible only in socially significant activities. Moreover, it is important that the implementation of this activity is determined not only from the outside (by society), but also by the internal need of the individual himself. The activity of the individual in this case becomes amateur activity, and the realization of his abilities in this activity acquires the character of self-realization. Thus, creative activity is an amateur activity that embraces a change in reality and self-realization of the individual in the process of creating material and spiritual values, which contributes to expanding the limits of human capabilities.

It should also be noted that it is not so important in what exactly the creative approach is manifested, in the ability to “play” on a loom, as in musical instrument, or in opera singing, in the ability to solve inventive or organizational problems. No type of human activity is alien to a creative approach.

It is not necessary that all members of society write poetry or sing songs, be free artists or play a role in the theater. The type of activity in which creativity is best, most freely manifested, and the extent to which a person can demonstrate it depends on the personality type, on habits, on characteristics life path. The unification of all the essential forces of a person, the manifestation of all his personal characteristics in action contribute to the development of individuality, emphasizing, along with the characteristics common to many, his unique and inimitable features. If a person has mastered creativity to the fullest - both in the process of its flow and in its results - it means that he has reached the level of spiritual development. He can experience moments of unity of all internal forces. If a person has reached the level of spiritual development, no matter what activity he engages in, there is only one thing left to do - to wish him a happy journey. And take a closer look at him at least sometimes. After all, undoubtedly, he will teach something good.

Self-realization of the individual: a view from the perspective of Christian psychology Christian psychology is the doctrine of man in his spiritual dynamics, in “spiritual warfare,” in his relationship to the Lord.

At the center of personal self-realization, as humanistic psychology understands it, lie concepts that are somehow related to self-awareness. Self-awareness can be determined through knowledge of oneself, knowledge of one’s self. Self is a hypothetical concept introduced into psychology by C. Jung; it is “the center of a total, boundless and indefinable mental personality.” The conscious ego is subordinated to or included in the self, endowed with its own voice, sometimes heard in moments of intuition and dreams. Self-actualization in this concept is essentially the evolution of the self, occurring in the direction from the unconscious to moral ideals.

The need for self-realization is the highest in the hierarchy of needs. As a result of its satisfaction, the person becomes what he can and should become in this world; the main professional purpose, the work of a person is accomplished along with the creation of his personality. But how does a person learn about his destiny?

This happens when a person is open to internal and external experience, when he is aware of all its sides. From the multitude of half-formed possibilities, the organism, like powerful computer, chooses the one that most accurately satisfies an internal need, or the one that establishes more effective relationships with the outside world, or another that opens up a simpler and more satisfying way for a person to perceive life. In this metaphorical representation, possibilities are not hierarchized; the emphasis is on free choice among potentially equivalent proposals, which are screened out by a wise organism based on its own subjective criteria.

The views of Ponamarev are close to the position of A. Maslow. However, the latter feels the insufficiency of the concepts of adaptability and adaptation in relation to the construction of personality; he writes in this regard about the autonomy of a self-realizing person, “the healthy individuals I observed outwardly agreed with the norms accepted in society, but in their souls they did not attach importance to them. In almost all of them I noticed a calm, good-natured perception of the imperfections of our civilization, combined with a more or less active desire to correct them. Now I want to emphasize the detachment, independence, independence of character of these people, their tendency to live in accordance with the values ​​​​and rules established by themselves" there is even recognition of the importance not only of detachment from the world, but also of spiritual contemplation in this solitude. However, the purpose of this contemplation without God is again penetration into the self, listening to the “true voice of the self.” It is assumed that the basis in the “primary processes of cognition”, close to the “healthy unconscious” (A. Maslow), is normal, healthy human nature. Awareness of her needs, awareness of her biological individuality is the key to healthy development. Again, the concept of a wise body knowing better what the soul needs.

The self, the self-state of a person, is the realization of his sovereign right to choose, choose the direction of development, life goals and values. The very realization of this human prerogative, with the awareness of all possibilities, listening to voices sounding in different ways, according to the ideas of humanistic psychology, is the key to creative realization. During life, free choice is the basic essential relationship of a person to the world.

The accumulation of soul values ​​occurs in the spirit of steadily progressive development, transferred to the sphere of the individual psyche, although the possibility of retreat - negative spiritual movement - is also provided for. The weak point of the humanistic concept of human creative self-realization, obviously, lies in the assumption of the hidden wisdom of the body and personality, which determines a person’s optimal choice when consciousness is open to all layers of experience. A person, like a powerful computer, chooses opportunities that precisely satisfy internal needs. It is assumed that accurate satisfaction of needs is a benefit for the individual and his social environment. The source of goodness, immanent in human nature, prompts the right choice. If the self, the highest and final authority of the psyche, is intelligent, then its voice is unmistakable. It is important to be able to hear his prompt among other voices.

What is self-realization and self-actualization, why and how to realize your destiny, how to draw up a plan for self-realization, your mission, and what will be the consequences of self-realization

Each system, in accordance with the principle hierarchy, there are subsystems and supersystems.

Subsystems are used as managed resources to perform a system function.

And supersystems manage systems or create new ones, making them their elements, also to perform their function.

Moreover, each system simultaneously is a supersystem for its subsystems and a subsystem for its supersystems.

A person also has supersystems. Some of them are artificial created by man himself: buildings, organizations, cities, states, etc. Others are natural: forests, seas, mountains, continents, planets, galaxies, etc. Such systems are created by a much more complex supersystem. People call it differently - God, Universe, Fate, etc., but the meaning is the same.

Self-actualization

Human does not know his destiny from birth, but can tell which activities he enjoys and which activities he does not like at all. This is the first stage of self-realization: a person realizes his character, temperament, inclinations, talent and determines How realize his destiny, but does not yet understand what it is.

Then the person generalizes his experience, consciously sets goals for himself, develops more directionally and achieves his first successes. This is the second stage of self-realization: a person realizes What can be done to realize your destiny, but still does not understand what it is.

Finally, the person summarizes his goals and successes and determines For what he does this: he realizes his purpose and purpose in life.

In general, this process is called self-actualization.

In some religions, self-actualization consists of awakening a special energies of pure intention. It is the individual basis of a person, which is initially “dormant”. Having awakened (realized it), it gives a person a second birth and gives strength to achieve goals in accordance with his destiny. Using this energy, a person knows exactly what he needs to do, performs actions especially easily and gets all the expected results.

Parallel with self-actualization, a person can also engage in self-realization associated with performing actual actions and achieving goals based on available resources and the experience gained during self-actualization.

Realization of purpose

A person, as a system with a very complex and developed model of behavior - intelligence, is capable of realizing his purpose and consciously realizing it.

Using this method, I compiled my mission and ended up with a list of more than 20 strategic and 100 tactical goals. I have already achieved or partially achieved many of them. And it’s useful that I see the next possible steps, and most importantly, I see the last step, the goal of my life. Here are the most important goals in my plan of self-realization.

Website creation
↓
Development of development methods
↓
Service development
↓
Writing a book
↓
Creation and conduct of trainings
↓
Creation of a training company
↓

Implementation of a personal development curriculum
into educational systems

Using this method and drawing up a visual plan for self-realization will allow you to “see” the full path to the goal of life. This will increase certainty, and, therefore, reduce stress and negative emotions during self-realization. It also gives a lot of energy to carry out actions and successfully achieve all your goals.

They are the most powerful motivator for moving forward towards success, freedom, happiness and harmony.

While engaging in activities in subject area corresponding to its intended purpose, a person perceives information and processes it much faster than in other areas. This allows you to accumulate much faster knowledge, learn and expand the paradigm of the world.

Application of this knowledge in practice allows you to acquire skills and perform actions with optimal efficiency and minimum quantity errors. Skills are much more easily converted into skills, and then in competencies.

This happens thanks to innate talent. As you develop it, hints gradually appear. When a person experiences happiness when achieving a goal in a certain subject area, this is a signal that he is on the right path and he should move further along it.

By realizing his destiny, a person completely gets rid of from negative emotions, melancholy, stress, depression. He experiences only positive emotions, happiness, joy, pleasure, which allows him to act continuously, as successfully and efficiently as possible.

After the first successes appear in the process of self-realization, a person immediately begins to feel his importance, becomes more confident, courageous, decisive, and completely gets rid of loneliness. He becomes convinced that he is capable of much more than he thinks about himself now. Ultimately, a person realizes that on the path of self-realization he is capable of for absolutely everything and nothing can stop him. It is important to realize this as early as possible, because everyone is capable of this.

After self-realization a person goes into a state pacification, becomes wise and can help others identify and realize their purpose by sharing personal experience. A person can write books about his life, the path of his self-realization, create educational courses, and begin teaching in the area that suits his talent. This will help the next generations to go through their path of self-realization in a similar subject area more effectively and with fewer errors.

Anyway, definition of purpose- this is, of course, a turning point in the life of every person, as they say in different religions"second birth". And his implementation– the most difficult, pleasant and rewarding process in life.

Personal self-realization is the path that will lead you to understanding yourself

“Life is a process of constant choice. At every moment a person has a choice: either retreat or advance towards the goal. Either a movement towards even greater fear, fears, protection, or a choice of goal and growth of spiritual forces. Choosing development instead of fear ten times a day means ten times moving towards self-realization.”

Abraham Maslow

What is the first difference between humans and animals? The ability to think and build relationships with others like yourself? Get food by peaceful means, but also subjugate other people, the ability to analyze and build logical conclusions?

Yes, but still The main difference between a person and an animal is the desire to know oneself and their purpose in this world, and not just survival in it. And the search for the meaning of life often leads us to the need to know our “I”, which requires being realized in our own place in this world. But what is your “I”? The answer to this question will help you become a harmonious person, satisfied with your life. The process that leads to this result is called self-realization.

Self-realization of a person is a natural need, which is pointed out by psychologists A. Maslow, E. Fromm and Z. Freud. Some recognized a person’s right to consciously seek ways of self-realization, while others called this need unconscious - biological or instinctive. Most people see behind this process only the receipt of obvious advantages, such as wealth and fame, which we have talked about more than once. What are personalities?

Hierarchy human values expressed in a pyramid built by psychologist A. Maslow. And at the top of this is precisely self-realization, called self-actualization by the indicated scientist.

Maslow's pyramid of human needs

Of course, the order in which needs are satisfied can be purely individual and depends on a number of factors, but it is obvious that wealth is only a means to satisfy other needs and cannot be the goal of a person’s self-realization. However, fame is also most often just recognition. And fame does not always come as a result of this. Can a person be realized if he has become famous, for example, due to a scandal in public place? Is this his life goal? Most really famous people remain unsatisfied and continue to search for themselves, having received all the dividends from their fame.

It turns out that a person’s self-realization is a search for oneself? Summarizing all existing scientific definitions, the answer is affirmative. But people have different paths, which is due individual characteristics each person. That is why psychology cannot offer a single model of personal self-realization for everyone. The ideal is considered to be diversified development, which leads to harmony in relationships with one’s “I” and with the outside world.

The greatest opportunities, according to psychologists, come from creativity. Exactly creative self-realization also contributes to personal development, and achieving many other goals, and most importantly, this path becomes individual. It is noted that often a person sets a goal to become like his ideal. Creative self-realization excludes this path, since in the process a person finds himself, reveals and develops his talent, and does not imitate someone else. It is impossible to find yourself in imitation, because this is just another role that a person tries on.

You should not deny the possibility of creative self-realization if you think that you have no ability for art. Creativity is a special approach to solving certain problems, a way of activity, and not the activity itself as such.

Personal self-realization is the path that will lead you to understanding yourself, satisfying your needs necessary to achieve mental comfort. And everyone has different ways of achieving such harmony...