From Low Self-Esteem to Self Transcendence

As 21st century leaders, one of our biggest ‘Achilles Heels’ is that of low self-esteem or poor self-image. Oftentimes the result of our upbringing and environmental constraints, low self-esteem’s insidious effects are felt in almost every area of our lives. We feel inadequate and unworthy. These feelings pervade the private corridors of our minds, and even if we do not realize it, the lack of high and balanced self-esteem affects our leadership quotient in every arena of life. Our ability to truly lead is hampered, hindered, and held back. The problem on a deeper level is that our perception is our reality; and though we may be wonderful and capable leaders, our self-image, as damaged as it is, will never allow us to see the real leader inside.

Go Beyond Your Feelings:
The truth is that you are good at a myriad of different things, and chances are if you are reading this article you have some idea of what those things are. Stick to the facts, past performance is an indication to some degree of future results. If you’ve done well in a certain area, remember those instances and recall the steps you took to excel in that area. God’s plan for you is not to ‘fluke’ your way through life. Know that if you’ve done it before, you can do it again!

Never Count Yourself Out: Respect Yourself:
It’s a cliché, I know, but some clichés are very true and worth repeating over and over again. Trust me, this is one of those clichés: “If you don’t respect yourself, no one else will.” Remember no one know you like you know yourself. How can you feel confident if you know you haven’t worked as hard as you could have? How do you assert your right to lead within yourself, if your have not taken the time to hone your skills and refine your craft? To lead, one must be out in front, ahead of the pack so to speak. You must continually challenge and push yourself to the next level. It is then and only then that you can truly look at yourself in the mirror and say I am just as good as the next person and I deserve the promotion, the job, or the contract just as much as the next person. The same expectation you would levy on your boss or the Prime Minister, is the same expectation that you should levy on yourself. When you start respecting yourself and expecting the brightest and the best from yourself, you will begin to see a level of excellence, power, and competency you have never seen before pour out of your spirit into all you do.

Self-Transcendence:
The truth is that dealing with self-esteem issues takes time and effort. At the end of this tunnel is an even greater calling, and that is the calling toward self-transcendence. Imagine being completely focused on the well-being of others before yourself. Jesus came and died for you and me and proved that it is entirely possible to put others ahead of ourselves to the degree that He died so that we could live! You and I have been called to truly ascend to this place in spirit and mind. If we are truly going to contribute to the overall state of humanity as we continue to look more and more like Christ, we must truly deny ourselves (Luke 9:23).

We must go beyond our own needs and think and act in line with putting the needs of the whole before our own. That is the quintessential meaning of self-transcendence – going from low self-esteem to self-transcendence. It’s a tough job, but you and I can do it!

Resolve today to never allow the insidious leaven of self-esteem to creep into your spirit, and remember that God has called you to put others ahead of yourself.

Pastor Peter A. Moncrieffe