Attitude #3: Self-Esteem: Sell Yourself to Yourself

Libraries offer a host of publications on self-esteem, all offering various definitions. In the interest of clarification, I offer you my definition: "Self-esteem is the conscious appreciation of our own worth and importance, the reputation we have with ourselves. It is an attitude of acceptance versus envy." Accept who you are and what you have rather than what you don't have. Learn to be happy with what you have while you pursue what makes you truly happy.

Self-esteem not only empowers you to feel better about yourself but it allows you to live better. The level of your self-esteem has profound consequences for every aspect of your performance and your existence. Without question, self-esteem is the most important of the five attitudes. Self-esteem goes far beyond that innate sense of self-worth that presumably is your human birthright. It is about confidence in yourself, confidence in your ability to think, confidence in your ability to cope with life, and the confidence to recognize your right to be successful and happy. To trust your mind and to know that you are worthy of success and happiness is the essence of self-esteem. When you trust your mind, you reinforce your worth and you will more likely persist in the face of difficulties and daily challenges. Research suggests that individuals with high self-esteem persist at a task significantly longer than individuals with low self-esteem. This reinforces trust in your mind. If you distrust your mind, you are more likely to be mentally passive, to bring less awareness than you need to your activities and to be less persistent in the face of difficulty.

Personal Self-Esteem and Career Esteem
Three Ways to Build Self-Esteem
Two Types of Knowledge