Success starts with your self-image. A strong self-image provides the foundation for confidence, action, and achievement. If you don’t think highly of yourself, it’s hard for others to view you in a positive light. Success Coach Jack Canfield said “People treat you the way you teach them to treat you” and there is truth in that! To examine, challenge, and change one’s beliefs about oneself requires some introspection and a fearless resolve to make changes for the better.
If you can work through the following exercises, you will not only feel better about yourself, but it will show in all you do!
Enhance the way you view yourself and enjoy greater success:
- Figure out what’s standing in the way. What beliefs and recurring thoughts do you have that are limiting or tarnishing your self-image? Make a list of all your limiting and negative beliefs, and then prioritize the list. Work with the 10 most damaging. A few examples include:
- I’ll never be good with money.
- I’m not good at making friends.
- People don’t like me.
- I just can’t lose weight.
- I don’t have any self-control.
- I’m horrible at math and science.
- I’m stuck in this career for the rest of my life.
- I’m too old to change.
- Attack each belief individually. Use everything at your disposal. Imagine what you would say to encourage a friend with the same negative belief. For example if you have the negative belief, “I’ll never be good with money.”
- The statement is ridiculous. Anyone can be good with money if they know the “rules” of personal finance. You’ve also mastered plenty of other things you weren’t naturally good at, like riding a bike, speaking English, walking, making coffee, and playing tennis. Most of those things are more challenging than handling money well.
- You remember that you saved loose change in a piggy bank as a kid. You used that money to buy your first dog. When you opened your first credit card, you used it to make a major purchase and then diligently paid it off right away. You realize you have the basic skills.
- Learn what you need to know and create a plan. Maybe your friend-making skills are a little rusty. So you buy a book on enhancing your social life, join a coffee club, and put your newfound skills to work. It won’t take long to see real improvement in your results and your self-image. Maybe you need to learn some basics about saving and investment. Ask people you trust for advice. Then get your game plan in place.
- List your accomplishments. You’ve already accomplished a lot – speaking, graduating from school, getting your first apartment, securing your first job, hitting a homerun in little league, learning to drive. List them all. Keep the list handy and review it daily.
- Say positive things to yourself. What you continually repeat, you eventually believe. Speaking aloud trains your subconscious in the way you are to go. Why not say things that are helpful and that build your confidence? Catch yourself when the negative talk starts flying and change your thoughts.
- “I can’t do this” becomes “I know I’ll find a way.”
- “People don’t like me” becomes “I’m giving people a fresh chance to get to know me.” or “I like me and that’s what matters – others will catch on”.
- Spend time with people that make you feel good about yourself. And avoid those that make you feel bad about yourself. There are people in your life that make you feel like an attractive, interesting, enjoyable person, and there are those that manage to do the exact opposite. It’s obvious which group will enhance your self-image. Don’t allow guilt or other people’s issues cause you to feel trapped in negative relationships.
You can change the way you view yourself if you make a decision to value yourself. If you don’t value yourself, how can others value you? How can you truly value others? The process will require courage, experimentation, and patience. Develop a positive opinion of yourself. Be fair with yourself. Give yourself a chance. Enhance your self-image and take your success to the next level.
