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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem summary
Nathaniel Branden
The Definitive Work on Self-Esteem by the Leading Pioneer in the Field
19 mins
What is The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem about?
The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem shows us that building confidence in ourselves is just a matter of taking a few simple steps. Healthy self-esteem is something we can achieve not just as individuals, but in our relationships and communities too.
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The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem
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Key idea 1 of 8
Self-esteem is the immune system of consciousness, essential for performing at your best.
“Ten steps to build your self-esteem!” “Five tips to gain confidence!” How many self-help gurus have you heard spout claims like these? Probably many. We hear about self-esteem all the time, but would you be able to define it?
Self-esteem is the immune system of consciousness; it provides strength, resistance, and the ability to regenerate. Just like our immune system, self-esteem is innate, and we need it to handle life’s difficulties.
Calcium is another fitting analogy for self-esteem. Calcium strengthens our teeth and bones and is essential for a healthy body, while self-esteem is vital for strong psychological development. While we wouldn’t necessarily die from a lack of calcium, our ability to live life fully would be significantly limited. The same goes for self-esteem: We don’t need it to survive, but we cannot live a full life without it. Why is this?
It’s all to do with the way our self-esteem works – by creating certain expectations about what we are capable of. These expectations influence our behavior in a way that turns them into reality. Self-esteem becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Consider the story of a recovering alcoholic from the author’s psychotherapy practice. He was about to land the biggest commission of his career as an architect, but instead of being excited, he was incredibly anxious and felt that he didn’t deserve it. Why? Because of his low self-esteem and the low expectations he had for himself. In order to steady his nerves, he chose to drink, became very drunk, behaved rudely and lost the job. Unfortunately, his low self-esteem led to his downfall.
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Best quote from The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem
To trust ones mind and to know that one is worthy of happiness is the essence of self-esteem.
—Nathaniel Branden
Who should read The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem?
- Anyone interested in taking concrete steps to boost their own self-esteem
- Anyone who’d like to learn how to build a culture that supports self-esteem
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