Unveiling the Truth: What is Self Seeking?

Are you an introspective person? Do you constantly ask yourself existential questions such as “Who am I?” or “What is my purpose in life?” If your answer to these questions is a resounding ‘YES’, then congratulations! You are self-aware. But being self-aware also means that you might be prone to something called self-seeking.

So, what exactly is self-seeking? Is it a good thing or a bad thing? In this article, we will unveil everything there is to know about self-seeking.

The Definition of Self-Seeking

Self-seeking can be defined as the act of pursuing one’s own interests above all else. It involves prioritizing oneself and one’s own well-being over others’ interests and well-being.

Before we delve deeper into the topic of self-seeking, let us first understand what the term ‘self’ represents. The term ‘self’ refers to our thoughts, feelings, and beliefs – essentially everything that makes us who we are.

Thus, when someone engages in self-seeking behavior, they prioritize their thoughts, feelings and beliefs above others’. This may manifest in different ways such as ignoring other people’s needs, seeking attention excessively or manipulating situations for personal gain.

Types of Self-Seeking Behavior

Not all types of self-seeking behavior are negative per se. For instance:

Positive Forms of Self-Seeking

  1. Self-care: prioritizing time taken out for oneself without feeling guilty.
  2. Self-reflection: exploring nuanced aspects about oneself through journal entries etc.
  3. Assertiveness: Taking charge and speaking up for yourself clearly& definitely but not domineeringly

Negative Forms of Self-Seeking

On the other hand,

  1. Narcissism : Narcissists think themselves special&rare while minimizing others&they usually show traits like aggression, concealment of vulnerability or hypersensitivity
  2. Machiavellianism: These people are manipulative&exploitative and use others to get ahead.
  3. Psychopathy: Psychopaths don’t have an understanding of the harm they cause to othersthey seek to do so deliberately.

The Psychology Behind Self-Seeking

Our psychological makeup explains why we engage in self-seeking behavior.

For instance, psychologists often consider Maslow’s Hierarchy Of Needs when studying motivation patterns among humans.

According to Maslow’s hierarchy, human needs can be classified into physical needs such as food and water (survival), safety needs such as security & possibility for availing employment(opportunies), social needs such as love and belongingness etc(depends on societies desirables) Eventually leading up to self-actualization needs which involve fulfilling one’s potential(happiness).

In this regard individuals who fail to have their basic survival related desires met tend towards lower order motivational behaviour while those whose base necessities are catered for steer more towards higher order behaviors associated with purpose discovery.

The Role of Ego

Another important aspect that contributes to the manifestation of self-seeking is our ego.

Ego refers to one’s sense of identity – it comprises beliefs about oneself such as personal attributes,e.g being exceptionally gifted /vulnerable.It also details records our past experiences ,and how significant these were in shaping current thought processes,&how susceptible we might be towards clinging onto particular views/experiences even when faced with counter examples/new contexts fundamentally suggesting detachment!

Thus,the more attached one is towards their conception/’brand’of themselves, the more difficult it becomes for them not just unwilling but grossly incapable at times,to accept other’s opinions over theirs

Social Influences

Social structures play a crucial role in shaping how individuals perceive themselves vis-a-vis others.A possible example would Be ‘group-think’ .Groupthink occurs when members of a group conform to the views of others and lose their ability to think critically for themselves.

This kind of behaviour may lead an individual into adopting self-seeking behavior as they may feel that prioritizing their interests would be more beneficial than adhering blindly to those espoused by the groups in which they are couched.

Eventually, social settings become important determinants regarding our value systems,moral inclinations,views on particular topics etc.
Hence one can conclude that while self-evaluation nevertheless plays some crucial role in how we navigate the world around us,social cues essentially monitor our behavioural development &direct it 

The Consequences

Self-seeking behavior often has negative consequences. Some of these consequences include:

  1. Lack Of Empathy: When you prioritize your own interests above everything else,it makes it more difficult to empathize with others which can cause isolation and eventual inability at times towards forming long-lasting bonds
  2. Developing A Bad Reputation: Self-seekers tend to ignore other people’s feelings/concerns , during engagement hence displaying traits such as self interest or manipulation which leads to them having bad reputations among acquaintances who might perceive this as uncaring/callousness .
    3.Poor Mental Health Outcomes: Engagement with Narcissistic habits was associated with anxiety/depression/suicidality (especially following events where pride is somewhat damaged)

How To Overcome Self-Seeking Behavior

If you realize that you engage intermittently or frequentlyin self-serving behaviors&would like not just acknowledge but overcome these here are some tips;

Cognizant Strategies:

Practice mindfulness:develop/aware-of better insight into patterns within oneself(e.g when being selfish)?. Practice thought observation without judgment(Know what fuels your compulsions!)& Express needs clearly(emotions behind words matter)

Modifying Behavioural Patterns

One may also cultivate recurring behavioural patterns to substitute for the previously self-serving and often harmful behavior. Socializing more frequently with social groups one resonates with,taking up passions which do not focus on oneself among others!

Therapy

Another possible option involves consulting a therapist who will help identify these tendencies within an individual”s holistic makeup & and offer steps towards eradicating/repairing them.

Conclusion

Self-seeking behaviour is inherent in humans, but cannot always be labelled good or bad due to its nuanced nature. However, excessive engagement can lead to adverse consequences such as harming bonds,bad reputation etc.To combat extreme instances of this habit,multiple reocurring methods may be employed i.e Cognizant Direction Strategies(Modifying ones own energy), Behavioural Patterns Substitution(Engagement w people out of ones existing ecosystem), and even therapy!
It’s reassuring however,to know that such traits are common,and it only takes being aware/concerned before eventually finding the most appropriate combating mechanism!

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