I still remember the day I walked into Taj Bengal, Kolkata in 1993. We had won a big contract and our boss took us out for lunch to celebrate. As I walked into the hotel’s grand lobby, I was both wide-eyed and panic-stricken. Thoughts raced through my mind: “Am I shabbily dressed? Do I even belong in such a luxurious place?” My self-worth felt fragile in that moment.
In contrast, my colleague from a similar middle class background walked in with complete ease. He simply enjoyed the experience. When I reflect today, I realize that his source of self-worth was probably different from mine.
Self-worth is the feeling of being valuable and deserving of respect for being who you are. We draw our self-worth from different sources; it varies widely from person to person.
In a poll that I concluded earlier this week, I was happy to see that 89% drew their self-worth from internal elements: relationships, personal interests and intrinsic qualities.
This is great news as our primary source of self-worth influences our choices and behaviors. When our self-worth is internally driven, it helps us:
🔅 Tackle challenges and bounce back from setbacks.
🔅 Adjust to big changes in life like loss of job, retirement etc.
🔅 Form supportive and genuine relationships.
🔅 Stay emotionally healthy.
🔅 Continuously improve and grow.
While I still draw some self-worth from my professional achievements, it is no longer my primary source of self-worth. I have evolved to other sources over the years.
What about you? Would love to hear your anecdotes of self-worth.
Perspectives 