It is easy to get caught up in comparing Self-Esteem vs. Ego. The truth is that comparing Ego with Self-Esteem is a mistake that many people make because they believe that comparing the two is somehow valid in the psychological realm. This is simply untrue.
It doesn’t matter if you are an individual or a business person. If your ego is greater than your self-esteem then you will experience all manner of difficulties. People with low self-esteem frequently find themselves sabotaging themselves. Conversely, those with high self-esteem rarely suffer from self-sabotage. Those with higher self-esteem know that they are better persons than those with low self esteem and this allows them to put their ego first where it really belongs.
While Ego may indeed be the motivating force behind some behaviors, it is important to realize that there are many different things that can be considered “ego”. Ego, as a person’s inner persona, is usually based on what a person perceives as having value, which can be subjective. There are other things that are not subjective such as the level of success a person is capable of achieving. These are objective values that are determined solely by merit. There are no feelings involved whatsoever. While a person with high self-esteem might have a little envy when another person succeeds, this is not enough to cause the person to feel inferior and to develop a sense of low self-worth.
In order for Self-Esteem to be at its highest level possible, then a person should take the time to identify the exact qualities that they admire about themselves. They should be able to list things that they like about themselves, but they should be realistic in what they are listing. What would they have to do in order to accomplish this task? Would their boss really appreciate them if they listed off every good thing in their life, every awesome idea they’ve had, etc.? This would be completely unrealistic, so the person needs to be very careful about what items they list.
If a person is working in an area that they really love, then they should not have to consider the opinions of others regarding that activity. There is plenty of room for growth in whatever a person does best, so if they do not wish to spend a great deal of time listing all of the things they like about themselves, then they can save that information for a better time. One example would be if that person enjoys working with wood, then they could list that skill as a skill they possess rather than a subjective trait. It is up to each individual to decide how much of their own character they wish to display for the world to view.
Once a person has a good idea of their own personal self-esteem, then they need to determine where that strong self-esteem comes from. Many times the best way to achieve a high self-esteem is to know exactly what it is that sets you apart from everyone else. Once you have determined what makes you different, then you can begin to build your self-esteem on that foundation.
Many people argue that those who have a strong sense of themselves and their own abilities generally have high self-esteem because it allows them to feel better about who they are and what they are able to accomplish. In many cases, people who have high self-esteem do not allow the things that hinder them from progressing, like the opinions of other people, to stand in the way. They believe strongly in their ability and believe that it is worth the sacrifices to obtain their goals. Those who have high self-esteem usually go on to excel in whatever they do because they believe so strongly in themselves and their abilities.
A final example of where high self-esteem can help a person is when a person is motivated by a need to be admired. In most cases a person with high self-esteem will put themselves in a position where they can be criticized by someone. When a person has high self-esteem, they do not let criticism or anything else stand in the way of their progress. If a person is willing to accept criticism with a smile and an attitude of gratitude, then they are much more likely to be successful at anything they attempt.