For several decades now, we have been taught that self-esteem is the Holy Grail of personal development. But there is mounting evidence that self-esteem is not delivering on its promise. Instead, the widespread pursuit of self-esteem all too often seems to be nurturing narcissism, addiction to praise and ever-present anxiety about not living up to one’s full potential. Far from producing generations of self-assured adults,
Self-worth is a more loyal companion than self-esteem. Unlike self-esteem, self-worth is not contingent on meeting expectations: neither those of others nor even of your own. Self-worth is independent of your performance; it’s a fundamental, unconditional friendship with yourself. Unlike the fickle friendship of self-esteem, self-worth is a faithful ally in the most challenging of times, on those grey days when you most need to be a friend to you. You can have self-worth even when you skip the yoga class. Furthermore, with real self-worth you are likely to be a valued member of any enterprise or team.