Personal development vs self actualization

[Conscious life]

What are the difference between the them? What exactly are we doing? In most personal development mentors they focus on mental part the way you think? 

[Nahm]

@Conscious life Maybe they don’t realize the difference between them is the thinking...and that they are actually creating their own reality. 

[Forestluv]

@Conscious life The frame I find most beneficial is that self actualization is transcending the person and personal development is developing the person.

Imagine playing a character in a movie. It’s all staged, yet you think it’s real. Suddenly you realize “Wait a minute. . . This is just a movie. I’m playing a character in a movie. This isn’t Me”. That is the self actualization. Yet the movie goes on and You get to develop that character, if you like. 

[undeather]

5 hours ago, Conscious life said:

What are the difference between the them? What exactly are we doing? In most personal development mentors they focus on mental part the way you think? 

The term "Self actualization" was popularized by Abraham Maslow, as upper part of his pyramid of needs. Its an inherent drive in human beings to "self actualzie", which usually arises when lower, more fundamental psychological needs are already dealt with and when there is room to grow. 

Self developement means the developement of the self, lol. 
Its basically everything out there, from Toni Robbins, motivational podcasts to pickup classes. Dont underestimate this stuff. A healthy, integral lifestyle includes waking up (spirituality), growing up (healthy "self developement") and showing up (actually doing shit for people who are not so lucky).

 

[Lento]

The distinctions/differences between any two things are arbitrary. Everything is interconnected, no matter how much we try to divide reality. Make sure you don't get caught up in the thoughts or in wanting to do something while avoiding something else. In my experience, it doesn't work like that.

Also, for a deeper understanding, watch Leo's video on Sameness vs. Difference. It's probably his longest video, but it is also the juiciest and most interesting to me. It is definitely my favourite.

You make the distinctions. You create your own reality.

[rNOW]

I think 'personal development' comes from 'personality development' that used to be a trend in the 1900s. It taught people 'How to think and grow rich' and 'How to win friends', etc. etc. It focuses on the 'part of you' that you can train - be it your body or your mind. 

Self Actualization is the opposite. Instead of training something, you decide to lose all the training including the training you've received in your infancy that 'You're you.' 

So to put it simply, it could be the personal development is 'developing of the self' while self-actualization is the 'losing of the self'.