Three Deadly Self-Image Errors

William James, American psychologist, said, “There is but one cause of human failure. And that is man’s lack of faith in his true Self.”

Maxwell Maltz, Canadian-born American plastic surgeon and author of Psycho-Cybernetics, said, “Self-image sets the boundaries of individual accomplishment.”

Your self-image contains your personal private views of who you believe you are, what you believe you can do, and what you believe your future contains. Here are three deadly errors easily made:

1. Lack Self-Awareness. Highly creative and talented individuals, people who could and should accomplish so much more, refuse to read about the game of life and how to play it. They prefer to assume the truths, dance around their problems, and make hundreds of excuses for poor performance.

2. Listening To Lost Souls. No matter where we go, people who make the loudest noises are usually finding fault with something they don’t understand, demanding rights that cannot be given, or making claims that have never been proven. What these people have in common, in addition to low self-esteem, is a huge lack of common sense, offset by tons of angry energy. It’s a shame that so many of these angry people find their way into the media.

3. Quit Before Trying. People suffering from low self-esteem talk themselves out of almost everything, except sitting on the sidelines. Rather than trying anything new they just say no, believing no is the safer way to go.

Bob Richards, American Olympic pole-vaulting champion, said, “I won it, at least five million times. Men who were stronger, bigger and faster than I was could have done it, but they never picked up a pole, and never made the feeble effort to pick their legs off the ground and get over the bar.”

And Nancy Lopez, America professional golfer, said, “A competitor will find a way to win. Competitors take bad breaks and use them to drive themselves just that much harder. Quitters take bad breaks and use them as reasons to give up.”

The game of life is a game of choices. People who make great things happen are people who believe they can.