What Self-Esteem Is and Where It Comes From

It’s not who you really are. It’s who you think you are.

Self-esteem is your attitude toward yourself. Not your actual qualities, but how you judge them. You can be a genius and still feel like a nobody. Or you can be an ordinary person and feel great about yourself. Self-esteem is that inner voice talking about you. And that voice isn’t always truthful.

Many people think self-esteem depends on achievements. Do a lot—high self-esteem. Do little—low self-esteem. But that’s not how it works. There are Olympic medalists who feel like failures. And there are people who haven’t accomplished much yet sleep soundly. Because self-esteem isn’t built on achievements. It’s built in childhood.