"Self-esteem that is deeper than self-protection"

"Self-esteem that is deeper than self-protection"

Protecting oneself from outside forces and influences is a natural reaction. But sometimes people allow that to come at the expense of their own self-esteem. They protect themselves by going along and not standing out. This is contrary to true leadership. Leaders must be able to stand out and, by doing so, put themselves in a vulnerable position. Having the self-esteem to stick to your core convictions may leave you vulnerable, but no true leader ever succeeded under a roof of self-protection. Leaders are more of risk takers because in order to rise above you cannot settle for the status quo.

Be Nimble, and Willing to Fail

"I make mistakes faster than anybody," says Matt Sileno, founder of The Intuitive Group, Inc. a marketing company based in Vienna, VA. "I think, go, do," he continues. "While the competition is figuring out what to do, we've tried two different things and have figured out the right one."

As a leader, it's essential to me that when I make a mistake, I want it to be brought to my attention. I am comfortable admitting my mistakes.

Being myself is important

Self-esteem is critical to your career success. You need lots of it at all stages of your career - whether it's for a job search, as a new employee, working with others, or dealing with stress and deadlines. If you're like most people, you may wonder if you've got enough self-esteem to reach your career goals. Fortunately, there are steps that you can take to build and strengthen your self-worth.

1. Understand yourself

2. Improve your awareness

3. Work on your attitude

4. Believe in yourself and your potentials

5. Develop your skills

6. Set your goals

7. Begin with the end in mind

I interviewed a friend who is now an entrepreneur and used to do retail for many years. He said, "Before I started working for myself, I didn't know I had low self-esteem. I used to think I was just being negative. I was unhappy with my job but did not have the confidence to leave it. It made me aware that the way I react to situations is based on how I feel about myself."

Self esteem was once viewed as a purely psychological need, but now it’s also economic. With rapid changes occurring in the global economy, the number of choices and decisions we make on a daily basis is increasing. With that, so does the urgency and importance of self esteem. By knowing and recognizing your self-value and worth, you will become more independent to make the best possible decisions for yourself. This is exactly what is needed to succeed in this rapidly changing and competitive world of ours.

I want to make one more last important note: self esteem and ego are not the same.
Self-esteem is an internal job. It is you telling you how good you are, whilst always maintaining a firm grip on reality. Ego is telling everyone else how good you are and is often driven by fear of rejection.