Key Characteristics of a Fully Functioning Person

According to the humanist psychologist Carl 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 regard plays 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 as self-actualization. A fully functioning person is continually working toward becoming 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 and embrace creativity, excitement, and challenge.

According to Rogers, people who are in this fully functioning state live in the present moment. They are completely aware of their feelings and reactions but are not overwhelmed or ruled by their emotions. Rogers suggested that fully functioning people live "freely, subjectively, in an existential confrontation of this moment in life."

Other researchers have characterized fully functioning people as flexible and ever-evolving. People who are fully functioning have a self-concept that 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.

Characteristics of Fully Functioning People

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

• Believes they have a sense of purpose and self-direction
• Trusts their experiences, uses them to inform values, and does not deny or distort experiences
• Takes responsibility for their actions without getting defensive
• Lives in harmony with others and is cooperative and respectful
• Maintains a flexible self-concept and ability to change through experience
• Unconditional self-regard and self-acceptance
• Openness and authentic self-expression 
• Receives feedback and is willing to make realistic changes to improve themselves
• Cares about the needs of others
• Demonstrates resilience, emotional intelligence, and creative problem-solving
  

Rogers developed a form of therapy known as client-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.

• Maslow’s Self-Actualization Theory: Self-actualization is at the top of Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. People can only reach the state of being self-actualized once they have met their basic needs (physiological, safety, social, and esteem). However, since there are so many factors that determine whether a person can meet their needs in life, many people never achieve self-actualization. Critics of Maslow’s hierarchy have proposed alternatives that focus on other life achievements, such as partnerships and parenting.
• Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory: Erik Erikson’s developmental stages theory stretches from infancy to late adulthood. Stages six to eight occur in adulthood, and a person must work through the challenges that come with each developmental period. For example, during the sixth stage (Intimacy versus Isolation) which typically goes from age 19 to 40, adults must call on the skills they developed in earlier stages to navigate close relationships with others. Success at this stage means a person can love and be loved.
• Deci and Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory: The theory of self-determination was devised by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan. This theory states that a person can become “self-determined” if their needs for competence, connection, and autonomy are met. To be self-determined, a person needs to feel in control of their life, confident in their ability to master new skills, and connected to others. People need to draw on both their internal motivation and a network of social support to reach a self-determined state.

How to Become a Fully Functioning Person

• Find meaning in your life: Finding or giving your life a sense of purpose and direction is key to helping you define your values and live by them. It also motivates you to grow, change, and set goals that align with the path you want your life to take.
• Embrace new experiences: A large part of becoming a fully functioning person is becoming open to trying new things. Openness is considered a core personality dimension in a model known as the five-factor theory of personality. People who are open to new things also tend to be open-minded and creative. They enjoy learning and thinking about new ideas.
• Practice mindfulness: Another important aspect of being fully functioning is learning to embrace the present moment. One way you can learn to do this is by practicing mindfulness, a technique that is all about focusing on how you are feeling in the here and now.
• Learn to trust yourself: Work on having a deeper understanding of who you are and being honest with yourself. Work on learning to trust your thoughts and intuition. You can foster greater trust in yourself by paying more attention to what you are feeling and visualizing positive outcomes.
• Approach relationships with empathy and authenticity: When you are communicating and relating to others, come from a place of empathy and strive for understanding. You can be kind and still assert your needs and protect your well-being. Be “real” with others, and focus on having genuine interactions.
• Seek out opportunities to improve: Ask for and be willing to accept feedback from others about what you can work on in your journey of growth. Learn to tell the difference between constructive and destructive criticism.
• Accept and love yourself: Unconditional positive self-regard is about accepting yourself for who you are and loving yourself despite your flaws. However, this does not mean that there are not things you may want to change about yourself. It just means that if you are working to improve as a person, you still accept and appreciate who you are in the present moment.

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.

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:

• Your self-image matches reality: You understand your strengths but also recognize and acknowledge your weaknesses. As you continue to build on your strengths, you also work on taking on challenges and new experiences that allow you to grow and gain new understanding.
• You aren’t perfect and don’t try to be: You know that you’re not perfect, but you’re still happy and satisfied with who you are. However, your contentment does not indicate idleness, as you are always striving to achieve the best possible version of yourself.
• You can admit when you mess up and make it right: You can humble yourself and admit when you’re wrong or have made a mistake. You apologize genuinely when you hurt someone and commit to making things right and learning from your error. Then, you put your words into action and follow through on the promise to do better.
• You can say no: You understand what your limits are, personally and professionally, and you respect them. You can create boundaries and honor them, as well as respect the boundaries set by others. You can politely decline offers without hurting someone. You don’t shy away from responsibility, but you do guard your time and energy and spend your resources wisely.
• You care about other people: You have empathy and think of others, not just yourself. You can balance your wants and needs with those of others. You actively listen to other people and communicate with honesty and kindness.
• You ask for help: You know that you can’t get through life on your own. You don’t try to “do it all” yourself and reach out for support from others. More importantly, you let people help you when you need it. You seek out professional guidance, be it from a healthcare provider or mental health professional, when you recognize that you’re not coping well.

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.