Self-esteem is not comparative. When our self-esteem is high, we don’t view our surroundings as hostile or competitive. We treat others with love, empathy, and respect. Those who claim to hate others often have low self-esteem, as they perceive others as threats, and every imperfection in others reflects their own insecurities and flaws. This intense emotion stems from fear and a feeling of danger. Individuals with high self-esteem don’t place themselves above others or engage in comparisons. Their fulfillment and joy arise from their inner feelings, not from comparisons. People with similar levels of self-esteem tend to feel most comfortable around one another; it’s more like attracts like than opposites attracting. Individuals with low self-esteem often feel uncomfortable around those with higher self-esteem, sometimes even harboring disdain for them when, in truth, they feel it toward themselves. This is why successful people are often targets of jealousy and other negative emotions. High self-esteem is associated with better communication skills, as we know that our words hold value and we desire clarity in our messages.

High self-esteem increases our chances of achieving our goals, overcoming obstacles, and living the full life we aspire to. This is because high self-esteem affects various aspects of our lives: how we interact in business environments, our interactions with people, the level of success we can attain, our choice of romantic partners, the quality of our relationships with family and friends, and our overall fulfillment and happiness. Healthy self-esteem is correlated with rationalism, reality, intuition, creativity, independence, adaptability, the ability to admit to failure and wrong decisions, and cooperation with others in general.