Self Esteem 2.3

(Friday)

 

Try being you.

Review:

This week our focus was on understanding how comparisons can be used to help us develop and transform into better versions of ourselves.

We learned that self-esteem comes from and with self-confidence, self-worth, and self-respect. Each of those words, confidence, worth, and respect helps us understand what contributes to your overall self-esteem.

We reviewed how you can use comparisons in a positive way. You can benefit from comparisons if we use them to identify specific aspects, traits, qualities, skills, or mindsets that others possess, that we’d like to develop ourselves.

On the other hand, comparing ourselves to others in order to make ourselves feel better (or make them feel worse), or as an excuse, i.e. “I could never be as good as that person, so why even try!”, is detrimental to our self-esteem.

Why it’s important: When you are hired by a company, they are hiring you for who you are. They are hiring you for your skills, your ideas, your knowledge, your strengths, and abilities. You will need to have the self-esteem and self-confidence to speak up, make suggestions or provide solutions and make a meaningful contribution to the company.

Without self-esteem, all that you have to offer may never be seen or heard by your manager or teammates. On the other hand, with the proper amount of self-esteem, you will be able to show others what you bring to the table. You’ll become a productive, invaluable member of any company.

Review video.

The following video covers the basic concepts of this lesson. If you can easily identify the main points, ask yourself if you are applying what was covered.

In addition, if you can easily identify the main points in the video, try to teach one or two of the concepts to a younger sibling or friend.

Teaching another person what you learn is a great way to internalize points from the lesson.

Remember: If you choose to use comparisons to build your self-esteem, make sure you don’t lose your identity. You don’t have to be like everyone else.

Why can it be a challenge to maintain your identity? What can you do to ensure you maintain your own identity? Write your answer in your journal or share and discuss with others.

Remember: If you don’t like who you currently are, develop the habits, qualities, traits, and attitudes that will help you become the person you will love.

Where are you in this process? Do you like who you are? Or at least do you like who you’re becoming? Write down your thoughts in your journal.

Feel free to take the metacognitive self-esteem survey below.

LAYOFF PROOFING

You can’t reach your full potential without a good measure of self-esteem. Self-esteem allows you to take on any given task, speak up and share your ideas when called upon.

There’s nothing more frustrating to a manager, team member, or team lead than knowing an individual has tremendous potential but is lacking the self-confidence and self-esteem to take on a challenging task or more responsibility.

If you have enough self-esteem to share your well-thought-out ideas, suggestions, and solutions whether they’re chosen or not, you will be invaluable to any company.

Be willing and ready to show your employer and team why hiring you was such a great decision.

 

STEPS FOR CHANGE

  • Always strive to be your best self. Everyone is different. Don’t lose your identity. Rather, identify your strengths. Develop new strengths and skills, and be proud of who you are, and who you are becoming.

  • identify the traits, qualities, skills, habits, mindsets, or attitudes that make you admire or compare yourself to someone else. Use comparisons to find ways you can improve and develop skills that will help you reach your goals in life.

  • Rather than develop the need to obtain a specific outcome or grade, focus on doing your best. Focus on doing all you can, giving your maximum effort, and develop the desire to keep on improving. Some people can get ‘good’ grades without much effort. They learn to give only the minimum effort to achieve the desired result. Employers see right through that. We want people who will give their best effort every single day.

 

Thought of the day.

Stop doubting yourself. Work hard, and make it happen.