What is self-esteem?  Simply, it’s how you feel about yourself – whether you see yourself in a positive or negative light.  Self-esteem is essentially the opinion you have about yourself. It’s made up of your thoughts, feelings, and judgments about your own worth and value as a person. This perception can influence how you behave, how you treat yourself, and how you interact with others.

When you have high self-esteem, it typically involves feeling confident, capable and deserving of happiness and success, while low self-esteem involves feelings of insecurity, doubt and unworthiness.  Self-esteem isn’t fixed, it can change over time and be influenced by things like internal beliefs, relationships and experiences.  Self-esteem plays an essential role in shaping your well-being.

So, what has self-esteem got to do with success?  And how is it sabotaging your success. Research has consistently shown a strong relationship between self-esteem and performance.

You can’t be successful without motivation and persistence.  Research has found that people with high self-esteem are more likely to set ambitious goals and persist in the face of setbacks compared to those with low self-esteem.

You can’t be successful without confidence and assertiveness.  Research suggests that people with high self-esteem are more likely to express their opinions, take initiative, and assert themselves in social and professional settings, which can contribute to better performance outcomes.

You can’t be successful without resilience. Research has found that peope with high self-esteem are more resilient in the face of failure, viewing setbacks as temporary and specific to the situation rather than as reflections of their inherent worth. This resilience enables them to bounce back more quickly and continue striving for success.

You can’t be successful without being able to regulate your emotions.  Research suggests that individuals with high self-esteem are better able to regulate their emotions in stressful situations, leading to improved performance under pressure.

You can’t be successful without being creative. Research has found that people with higher self-esteem are more willing to take risks, think creativity and explore new ideas.  

You can’t be successful without strong relationships.  Research suggests that people with higher self-esteem are more likely to form positive relationships, communicate effectively, and collaborate with others.

Research supports the notion that self-esteem significantly influences performance across various factors by shaping our motivation, confidence, resilience, emotional regulation, creativity and relationships.   If you think positively about yourself, your values and your capabilities, you have a greater chance of performing at your best and achieving you ambitious goals.

How you feel about yourself can sabotage your success!