The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem

by Nathaniel Branden

Underneath all my work, the core idea I wanted to teach was: Your life is important. Honor it. Fight for your highest possibilities.

My experience is that most people underestimate their power to change and grow. They believe implicitly that yesterday’s pattern must be tomorrow’s. They do not see choices that—objectively—do exist. They rarely appreciate how much they can do on their own behalf if genuine growth and higher self-esteem are their goals and if they are willing to take responsibility for their own lives. The belief that they are powerless becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.