Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDefinitionCharacteristicsOther IdeasHow to Become OneSigns You’re Fully Functioning

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Table of Contents

Definition

Characteristics

Other Ideas

How to Become One

Signs You’re Fully Functioning

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At a GlanceA fully functioning person is closely linked to the psychological idea of self-actualization. A person who is fully functioning is able to reach their fullest potential in life.

At a Glance

A fully functioning person is closely linked to the psychological idea of self-actualization. A person who is fully functioning is able to reach their fullest potential in life.

According to the humanist psychologistCarl Rogers, a fully functioning person is in touch with their deepest and innermost feelings and desires.They understand their own emotions and place deep trust in their instincts.Unconditional positive regardplays an essential role in becoming a fully functioning person.

This article will cover what Rogers said it means to be fully functioning and the characteristics of people who are in this state of being. It also explores some strategies that people can use to become fully functioning.

What Is a Fully Functioning Person?

Rogers suggested that people have an actualizing tendency—or a need to achieve their full potential. This concept is often referred to asself-actualization.A fully functioning person is continually working toward becoming self-actualized.

What Is Self-Actualization?If you are self-actualized, it means you have reached your full potential and fully appreciate life.

What Is Self-Actualization?

If you are self-actualized, it means you have reached your full potential and fully appreciate life.

How Can I Tell If I’m Self-Actualized?

A person on the path to self-actualization has received unconditional positive regard from others and does not place conditions on their worth. They can express feelings and are fully open to life’s many experiences.

Rogers suggested that a fully functioning person has embraced “existential living.“In other words, they can live fully in the moment. They experience a sense of inner freedom andembrace creativity, excitement, and challenge.

Other researchers have characterized fully functioning people as flexible and ever-evolving. People who are fully functioning have aself-conceptthat is not fixed, and they constantly take in new information and experiences.

Not only is a fully functioning person open to new experiences, but they can change in response to what they learn from those experiences. These people are in touch with their emotions and make a conscious effort to grow and achieve their fullest potential.

Rogers said that being a fully functioning person means having a healthy personality. People who fully function live in the moment and are open to new experiences.

How to Be More Confident: 9 Tips That Work

Characteristics of Fully Functioning People

Fully functioning people tend to have certaintraitsand characteristics that help them stay in tune with their own emotions and embrace their need to grow. A fully functioning person:

Rogers developed a form of therapy known asclient-centered therapy.In this approach, the therapist’s goal is to offer unconditional positive regard to the client. The goal is for the client to grow emotionally and psychologically and eventually become a fully functioning person.

Other Ideas About What It Means to Be a Functioning Adult

Other than Rogers, there are also other ideas in psychology about what it means to be a functioning adult.

How to Become a Fully Functioning Person

Becoming fully functioning is a journey, not a destination. It is not about following a prescribed series of steps to achieve a static result. Instead, it is about developing an approach to living that helps you build contentment,self-awareness, openness, and a desire to keep improving yourself.

Remember that becoming more fully functioning is a journey that continues throughout your life. The key is to keep working on embracing and living your life to the fullest.

It’s important to remember that becoming more fully functioning is a journey that continues throughout life. The key is to keep working on embracing and living your life to the fullest.

Signs You’re a Fully Functioning Adult

How can you tell if you are a fully functioning adult? Well, it depends on your unique life experiences and beliefs. What you think it means to be fully functioning may be different from what someone else believes.However, there are some general traits and behaviors that are common among people who are satisfied with life and cope with its ups and downs in ways that support their well-being.

Here are just a few examples of personal functioning as an adult:

These are just a few characteristics that people who are functioning the way they want to in life often have. Keep in mind that what it means to “function in life” is personal and depends on who you are, as well as where you live, what you believe, and what your values are.

It’s normal to feel like you’re not always your best self. Having an off day or feeling like there are things in your life that you want to change is not a sign that you aren’t a fully functioning person. Being your best self is personal, subjective, and different for everyone.

Summary

The concept of being a fully functioning person is an ideal rather than a set destination. It is not about achieving a certain status and then being done with your growth as a human. Becoming a fully functioning person represents a journey that continues throughout your life as you continue to strive toward self-actualization.

11 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Rogers CR.The concept of the fully functioning person.Psychol Psychother. 1963;1(1):17–26. doi:10.1037/h0088567Proctor C, Tweed R, Morris D.The Rogerian fully functioning person: A positive psychology perspective.J Humanist Psychol.2016;56(5):503–529. doi:10.1177/0022167815605936Rogers CR.Toward becoming a fully functioning person. In: Combs AW, ed. and Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.Perceiving, behaving, becoming: A new focus for education. National Education Association. doi:10.1037/14325-003Ismail NAH, Tekke M.Rediscovering Roger’s self theory and personality.J Educ Health Community Psychol. 2015;4(3):28-36.Witty MC.Client-centered therapy. In: Kazantzis N, ĽAbate L, eds.,Handbook of Homework Assignments in Psychotherapy. Springer.Maslow, AH,A theory of human motivation.Psychological Review, 50(4), 370–396. 1943. doi10.1037/h0054346OpenStax.9.2: Lifespan Theories” in “Psychology 2e.Difendorff JM, Seaton GA.Self-determination theory. In: International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences. 2nd ed. Elsevier; 2015.Illinois Secretary of State.Lesson 3: Characteristics of adult learners.University of Central Florida.Adulthood.UC Berkely.Character traits for adults.Additional ReadingFreeth R.Humanising Psychiatry and Mental Health Care: The Challenge of the Person-Centred Approach. Radcliffe Publishing Ltd.Hockenbury DH, Hockenbury SE.Psychology,5th ed. Worth Publishers.Jones-Smith, E.Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy: An Integrative Approach. SAGE Publications.

11 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Rogers CR.The concept of the fully functioning person.Psychol Psychother. 1963;1(1):17–26. doi:10.1037/h0088567Proctor C, Tweed R, Morris D.The Rogerian fully functioning person: A positive psychology perspective.J Humanist Psychol.2016;56(5):503–529. doi:10.1177/0022167815605936Rogers CR.Toward becoming a fully functioning person. In: Combs AW, ed. and Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.Perceiving, behaving, becoming: A new focus for education. National Education Association. doi:10.1037/14325-003Ismail NAH, Tekke M.Rediscovering Roger’s self theory and personality.J Educ Health Community Psychol. 2015;4(3):28-36.Witty MC.Client-centered therapy. In: Kazantzis N, ĽAbate L, eds.,Handbook of Homework Assignments in Psychotherapy. Springer.Maslow, AH,A theory of human motivation.Psychological Review, 50(4), 370–396. 1943. doi10.1037/h0054346OpenStax.9.2: Lifespan Theories” in “Psychology 2e.Difendorff JM, Seaton GA.Self-determination theory. In: International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences. 2nd ed. Elsevier; 2015.Illinois Secretary of State.Lesson 3: Characteristics of adult learners.University of Central Florida.Adulthood.UC Berkely.Character traits for adults.Additional ReadingFreeth R.Humanising Psychiatry and Mental Health Care: The Challenge of the Person-Centred Approach. Radcliffe Publishing Ltd.Hockenbury DH, Hockenbury SE.Psychology,5th ed. Worth Publishers.Jones-Smith, E.Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy: An Integrative Approach. SAGE Publications.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Rogers CR.The concept of the fully functioning person.Psychol Psychother. 1963;1(1):17–26. doi:10.1037/h0088567Proctor C, Tweed R, Morris D.The Rogerian fully functioning person: A positive psychology perspective.J Humanist Psychol.2016;56(5):503–529. doi:10.1177/0022167815605936Rogers CR.Toward becoming a fully functioning person. In: Combs AW, ed. and Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.Perceiving, behaving, becoming: A new focus for education. National Education Association. doi:10.1037/14325-003Ismail NAH, Tekke M.Rediscovering Roger’s self theory and personality.J Educ Health Community Psychol. 2015;4(3):28-36.Witty MC.Client-centered therapy. In: Kazantzis N, ĽAbate L, eds.,Handbook of Homework Assignments in Psychotherapy. Springer.Maslow, AH,A theory of human motivation.Psychological Review, 50(4), 370–396. 1943. doi10.1037/h0054346OpenStax.9.2: Lifespan Theories” in “Psychology 2e.Difendorff JM, Seaton GA.Self-determination theory. In: International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences. 2nd ed. Elsevier; 2015.Illinois Secretary of State.Lesson 3: Characteristics of adult learners.University of Central Florida.Adulthood.UC Berkely.Character traits for adults.

Rogers CR.The concept of the fully functioning person.Psychol Psychother. 1963;1(1):17–26. doi:10.1037/h0088567

Proctor C, Tweed R, Morris D.The Rogerian fully functioning person: A positive psychology perspective.J Humanist Psychol.2016;56(5):503–529. doi:10.1177/0022167815605936

Rogers CR.Toward becoming a fully functioning person. In: Combs AW, ed. and Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.Perceiving, behaving, becoming: A new focus for education. National Education Association. doi:10.1037/14325-003

Ismail NAH, Tekke M.Rediscovering Roger’s self theory and personality.J Educ Health Community Psychol. 2015;4(3):28-36.

Witty MC.Client-centered therapy. In: Kazantzis N, ĽAbate L, eds.,Handbook of Homework Assignments in Psychotherapy. Springer.

Maslow, AH,A theory of human motivation.Psychological Review, 50(4), 370–396. 1943. doi10.1037/h0054346

OpenStax.9.2: Lifespan Theories” in “Psychology 2e.

Difendorff JM, Seaton GA.Self-determination theory. In: International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences. 2nd ed. Elsevier; 2015.

Illinois Secretary of State.Lesson 3: Characteristics of adult learners.

University of Central Florida.Adulthood.

UC Berkely.Character traits for adults.

Freeth R.Humanising Psychiatry and Mental Health Care: The Challenge of the Person-Centred Approach. Radcliffe Publishing Ltd.Hockenbury DH, Hockenbury SE.Psychology,5th ed. Worth Publishers.Jones-Smith, E.Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy: An Integrative Approach. SAGE Publications.

Freeth R.Humanising Psychiatry and Mental Health Care: The Challenge of the Person-Centred Approach. Radcliffe Publishing Ltd.

Hockenbury DH, Hockenbury SE.Psychology,5th ed. Worth Publishers.

Jones-Smith, E.Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy: An Integrative Approach. SAGE Publications.

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