Self Esteem: Focusing on Your own Self Worth

No One Can Figure Out Your Worth But You

Dr. Nathaniel Branden, a Canadian psychotherapist and writer known for his work in the psychology of self-esteem wrote, "Self esteem is the reputation we acquire with ourselves."

Think about that for a moment.

You undoubtedly know what your reputation is amongst your friends, acquaintances, colleagues, and family members.

But what is your reputation with yourself and of yourself?

You cannot accomplish much without a high level of self esteem. And you certainly cannot expect to achieve any level of authentic success without self esteem.

In many ways self esteem should be thought of as self respect. For, like all other forms of respect, this must be earned before it is granted freely and willingly.

Self esteem will also heighten your sense of self worth, a topic you are likely to struggle with at various times in your life. In today's society, one's self worth is usually negated and chipped away at by others, and unfortunately most often by the ones you love or care about the most.

Which makes this advice from the author Ralph Marston particularly relevant: "If you really want to improve your self esteem, stop allowing other people to be responsible for it. Instead, create something of value. Make a positive difference."

Fortunately, self worth can be built up through one's own stimulus, actions and thinking. There's a great deal of truth in this quote circulating on the Internet and attributed to someone named Kim Jeffery, "I was worthless, until I decided to be worth more."

In a similar fashion, your ideas are worthless, until you decide what worth they have. 

Likewise, your actions are worthless, until you decide what worth they have. And so on, and so on.

The singer Pearl Bailey may have summed it up best, "No one can figure out your worth but you."