Rogers begins by exploring the universal question of life’s purpose. After reviewing various historical and modern philosophical models, Rogers finds them all insufficient to describe the pattern he has observed in his clients. He proposes that the goal of life is best captured by Danish existentialist philosopher Søren Kierkegaard’s language about becoming one’s true self.

From his therapeutic work, Rogers sees this as a process with two clear movements. First, individuals move away from being what they are not. In the safe climate of therapy, clients begin to shed the masks they present to the world, reject the moral “oughts” imposed by parents and society, and resist conforming to external expectations, such as the idealized corporate employee described by writer William H. Whyte in 1956 as the “organization man.”

Second, individuals move toward a more authentic way of being. This involves becoming more autonomous and self-directing; embracing life as a fluid process rather than a fixed state; and accepting the complexity of one’s own feelings. Clients develop an openness to their inner experience, learning to listen to and trust their feelings. Rogers equates this to psychologist Abraham Maslow 1943 phrase “self-actualizing people,” meaning those who achieve their full potential, live authentically, and continuously grow.