'self-realization' originates from the combination of 'self' and 'realization', where 'self' refers to one's own person and 'realization' means the act of making something real or achieving something.

'self-realization' evolved from the concept of 'self-actualization' in psychological theories, particularly those of Carl Jung and Abraham Maslow.

Initially, it meant 'the act of realizing one's own potential', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.