Your Self-Image Determines Your Success And Failure
The image of yourself that you hold in your mind determines your reality
I had been searching for the reason that I had consistently been failing at creating a successful life for myself after some unfortunate events back in 2023.
I made plans and worked hard, but was not able to achieve the level of success that I desired. I continued to struggle with finances and also my health. Happiness kept on slipping away from my life.
Before 2003 my life was filled with joy and I always had a sufficient amount of money coming in to meet my needs.
After some deep research, I concluded that my self-image had changed. This change in self-image was responsible for sabotaging my success and shattering my dreams.
I know that I will continue failing unless I change my self-image. I need to address this root cause and have started to take action.
I will start reading “Psycho-Cybernetics” by Dr Maxwell Maltz. I have managed to grasp an understanding of the self-image from my research to date. Let me know your thoughts on the information I will present below.
Exploring Self-Image
Self-image is essentially how we view ourselves, serving as a mental blueprint for life. It influences our goals, how we tackle obstacles, and ultimately our happiness and success. But what makes self-image so critical?
Crafted from past experiences, successes, failures, and early reactions from others, our self-image forms our personal narrative. This narrative significantly influences how we see ourselves, even if it's not always accurate.
Our self-perception profoundly affects our confidence and security. Whether we see ourselves as failures or potential stars, our self-image dictates our actions more than external opinions, shaping our life's direction.
Realizing our self-image might be flawed allows us to change it. Through methods like visualization, we can alter our self-perception towards a more positive and realistic view.
Visualization: Crafting Our Mental Stage
Visualization involves creating mental images to aid personal development. By picturing our goals and desired self-image, we powerfully engage our minds, enhancing our abilities and confidence.
Mental practice, such as visualization, can dramatically improve our preparedness and performance. This technique shows how powerful our mind is in influencing our actions and achievements.
Our imagination sets the limits of our potential. By adopting a positive mindset focused on success, we can reshape our lives and self-image, embracing growth and overcoming past barriers.
Moving Beyond Negative Self-Image
A lot of us struggle with poor self-perception, usually rooted in previous criticisms or setbacks. By identifying and challenging these negative views, we can transform our self-image and unleash our real potential.
A healthy self-image requires appreciating our uniqueness and forgiving our flaws. It's about recognizing our value independently of comparisons or external approval.
Visualization can lead us toward a healthier self-image and personal growth. Imagining success prepares us for real achievements, boosting our self-esteem.
Leveraging Self-Image And Visualization
Understanding and molding our self-image through positive thinking and visualization is key to personal growth and success. By acknowledging our worth and potential, we can confidently face life's challenges, turning dreams into reality.
The above is my understanding of the self-image and how it shapes our lives. I will continue with my research by reading Psycho-Cybernetics by Dr Maxwell Maltz. I have learned that he was a plastic surgeon and developed many techniques to enable people to transform their self-image.
The concept of self-image was first mentioned by Morris Rosenberg in 1965. Dr Maltz’s work has created the foundation that others have used to build on.
I have realized that I will have to address my self-image as soon as possible to enable me to make progress toward transforming my dreams into reality. No amount of hard work will produce significant results until my self-image is restored.
We all have self-images that keep us confined within a certain income bracket and social status. Most of us don’t know how we have developed our self-image or how it affects our lifestyle.
I have finished reading “As a Man Thinketh” by James Allen. There is a vast amount of wisdom that can be cultivated from this short book.
I will start on my second book “Psycho-Cybernetics” by Dr Maxwell Maltz. There is a long way to go to finish reading 1,000 books, but I have started on this journey.
I am making progress, it may be a little slow currently as I am working 12-hour-long shifts as a security officer. My personal development journey is full-time as I can think about the things that I study whilst at work.
I am in charge of my thoughts, I can use my time constructively throughout the 12-hour long night shifts. I may not have much time to do the reading, but I have a lot of time to think.
Sometimes I feel like giving up and just accepting my lot in life. This is the self-image that is trying to pull me back from making progress.
The laziness tries to hold me back from reading the books and also posting on this newsletter. I cannot let procrastination rob me of my dreams. I should rephrase this as “I will not let procrastination rob me of my dreams”.
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Self image is important. Even the Buddha realised that 2500 years ago. He said we are all pure gold at our heart. Life covers our pure potential up in mud, but underneath it all we are pure, compassionate being full of kindness.
I also read recently that considering ourselves lazy is a modern thing based on capitalism view point. Working 40 plus hours a week in a static job is a relatively new idea for humans, and I would suggest a seriously crappy one. We are not lazy, we are being told we are in order to keep us from spending time on those things that truly make us happy such as connection with others and instead keep on buying and consuming as capitalism requires. You are not lazy.
My father always said, “It doesn’t matter how much money you make, what matters is how much money you spend”.
My father never had a mortgage or car payment. He never bought anything that he couldn’t pay for with cash. He was an immigrant to America in the mid-fifties. He bought 2 houses and many many cars, because he had 5 children in 6 years. He paid Cash for both houses and all cars.
There’s needs and there’s wants, a wise person realizes the difference and acts accordingly.