When you hear the words “ego” and “self-esteem”, what’s the first thought that crosses your mind? To be honest, these two are used interchangeably. However, there is a clear difference between the two. Let’s take a closer look at what ego is and ego-level self-esteem.
Ego is the “I” that we are. Ego is the thing that we are – our very identity. This “I” is a part of us and it is something we are very protective of.
Ego is what causes a person to be arrogant or to believe that he or she is better than everyone else. Ego can also cause a person to be lazy, unmotivated, and with low self-confidence. It is the “I” that causes these effects. It isn’t the actual “I” that is on the inside – it’s our ego that causes this to happen.
There are those who have high self-esteem, but are terrible at relating to others. They have a hard time expressing themselves and others see them as lacking in self confidence. Their ego prevents them from making the necessary connection needed to create meaningful relationships. This is usually accompanied by a mask-like exterior. They cannot put their best foot forward in a social situation.
The person with a low self esteem thinks the exact opposite. They have no problem showing their ego, but behind it they feel worthless, inferior, and worthless. This person’s communication is geared towards their mask – not their real self. This makes them appear aloof, cold, and distant.
As you can see, the two concepts are not the same. While one builds on itself and revolves around the core self, the other deals with the world and others. In essence, these two concepts are polar opposites of each other. Your inner being is always more important than the outer one. When your self-esteem is low you will always put yourself last.
There are steps you can take to build your self-esteem and your ego at the same time. First, be aware that your self-esteem is largely determined by what others think of you. Think positively and you will begin to see your ego rise as you improve your behavior.
Second, surround yourself with positive people who treat you with kindness and respect – people who really care about you. Third – stay away from negative people – family members, friends, coworkers, etc. they only make you feel bad and add to your negative image. With these few basic principles in mind, you should be able to change your behavior and your ego at the same time.
The secret to building your self-esteem is to constantly remind yourself how great you are. If you consistently tell yourself that you’re great and never let anything stop you from pursuing your goals, then your ego will begin to rise. In addition, the more you tell yourself that you’re positive and capable, the more your self-esteem will rise.
The reason that it’s important to continually remind yourself of your capabilities is because we forget that the ego was a part of us long before we became a physical being in this world. Remember, self-esteem wasn’t just created overnight – it took a lot of hard work and soul searching to arrive at a point where you are truly capable of taking on this world. In addition, your ego may rebel when you realize that you’re better than your favorite person or when you notice that you’re more intelligent than your favorite person – remember, that’s just proof that you’ve reached a higher level of consciousness! The more you focus on your abilities the more you’ll increase your self-esteem.
A big part of building self-esteem is to ignore negative comments about you by other people, and by yourself, your mind. When you have negative thoughts about yourself and others, your ego will rebel because it doesn’t want to be viewed as nothing more than a worthless person. It’s impossible to build self-esteem when you constantly think that you’re the worst person in the world – it just won’t make any sense. Instead, concentrate on what you have going for you in this world and how valuable you are, and begin to accept the fact that you don’t know everything and everyone out there, but you know more about yourself than anyone else does.
Another way that you can build self-esteem is to be confident in your own voice. Even if you’re wrong about something in the present or future, don’t let that affect the way you act in the present. You have to be able to say things without hesitation or doubt, and you must let everyone know that you have a lot of belief in your abilities. While others may not agree with you 100 percent of the time, they should still recognize that you have a lot to offer the world – and that includes your opinion.
One final key point in building self-esteem vs. ego is to never compare yourself with others. If you’ve ever done that, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. Whenever you start comparing yourself to other people, you will build a lot of negative energy that no one wants. Rather, focus on the things about you that you’re really proud of, like your abilities and the way that you look, and stop focusing on the things that you think other people are afraid of.