We will tell you an anecdote about Henry Ward Beecher, an American politician.
“People’s greatest successes come after their greatest disappointments,” Henry Ward Beecher.
The term ” self-esteem ” refers to the judgment that each person has of themselves . The level of self-esteem depends above all on the period of childhood , in particular on the relationship that is established with one’s parents, even if other events can, obviously, influence it. In any case, it is important to know that self-esteem can be improved .
If you suffer from low self-esteem , in fact, you risk being constantly indecisive, anxious, pessimistic and afraid of the judgment of others. At the same time, it increases the risk of suffering from some psychological disorders such as depression, emotional dependence or substance addiction.
Self-esteem, in short, has a huge influence on our psycho-physical well-being. Those who have good self-esteem, in fact, have a greater opportunity to grow on a personal and professional level, to have better social relationships and to be more independent.
For all these reasons, we recommend an exercise to improve your self-esteem. This idea comes from an anecdote of the American politician Henry Ward Beecher . This character, included in the Hall of Fame for Great Americans, told a personal story that can help everyone to boost their self-esteem.
«Little Henry is questioned by his literature teacher about a poem he studied previously. Convinced that he remembers it, although hesitant, the young man gets up and begins to recite the first stanzas of the poem. After a few seconds, the teacher shouts a categorical “no”. Henry starts again, but each time, the teacher repeats the “no”, forcing him to start again from the first stanza.
The teacher turns to another student. The boy receives the same treatment but, instead of starting over, he recites the entire poem despite the “no”s he has received. At the end, the teacher congratulates the second student. At that point, Henry protests. The teacher thus explains that it is not only necessary to have studied well, but also to be sure of one’s abilities. While Henry had stopped with the teacher’s denial, in fact, the second student had continued, sure of his preparation, to recite the poem. The moral, in short, is that life is full of people who shout “no” at you but the task of each of us is to reply “yes” and demonstrate our abilities.
What is the lesson we can all learn from the story told by Henry Ward Beecher?
Simply (although it is often not so simple) you must first believe in yourself to be able to convince others to believe in you . In fact, throughout our lives, we will receive many “no”. The difference is in not being influenced by this denial and continuing to follow our path. In fact, our abilities are useless if we are not able to evaluate them positively and use them in a safe way.
From here we can, day after day, do a little exercise in which we decide to oppose these “no’s” . This can be valid for any situation and sector, from the personal to the professional. No one believes that you can get the job of your dreams? Don’t let yourself get down, be realistic, analyze the situation but, at the same time, firmly believe in your professional abilities. It’s not about proving to others that you can achieve your goals but simply having the courage to gather all your strength to achieve what is important to you.
