1 step How to boost self-esteem | Lesson from Prehistoric age!

CC, Photo by: janoma.cl

Article at Harvard Business Review about self-esteem is one of the best I have ever read on this topic. As Heidi Grant Halvorson says "You'll find roughly 5,000 books listed under the subhead  Self-esteem" And I think that even if you would have read all of them, none would help you to raise your self-esteem until you make it so. This article is ending up with unavoidable truth, which is as Heidi stays - High self-esteem is really not the key to success you might be looking for. Give yourself break. But hang in there for a while.

I am more than sure, that high self-esteem is not such a value that will help you succeed, but will indeed help you to live more fulfilling and confident life. So the question is, how to boost it and don't end up reading 5,000 books about self-esteem?

The answer is in your blood. Simple.

The story about how people lived. It's hilarious.
In prehistoric ages, we lived like hunters. That's no doubt. We lived in caves and we were dying every winter on pneumonia. Average caveman lived 25 years. (There are of course some exceptions) But we used to die young on average. The feeling of safety and having positive attitude might have been hard in those times. We didn't need public speakers and motivational books to survive. We were so confident, that we were hunting for animals that might have killed us in a minute. Well, that might be because of hunger and fear of death. But is your self-esteem as high as it used to be thousands of years ago, to go out and hunt for mammoth? I know, they aren't around anymore, but what if? Would you throw party and go for hunt?

I would. And now here comes the punch line!

Do you know what would I do If I would kill mammoth? I would take souvenir. One tooth, fur of it or something that I could remember this day of bravery and victory. The times of greatness and confidence. So that's what we do now. We wear amulets and bracelets, rings and other jewelry. Is it just a relic from the history, or some kind of human behaviour that we all do?

Maybe the Maslow was right. Our motivation was so high because we were hungry. Can you see any connection with self-esteem there? So that's probably why we were able to hunt fur such a great animals with just slings and arrows. We had jewelry, and amulets. Just like predator did, when he killed someone. Made a mark of hunter. Or ancestors with their amulets. But we people lived like hunters for millions of years! This blood is always in our veins. They are our ancestors. They didn't need self-esteem and confidence in order to hunt for monsters.

CC, photo by: AMagill

What does it mean for me and you.
So as I have already mentioned, we used to be more confident and had higher self-esteem than we have now. Boosting self-esteem to hunt was just matter of hunger and fear. But what lesson should we take from prehistoric age? I have my own amulet from Gambia, from times when I was happy and confident. Another is from Southwestern Company, which is called Success coin. This one, I always had in my pocket while working in US. And when I felt tired and unmotivated, I looked on it and remembered all the success and triumph from the past. Have one as well. Put some kind of success or achievement in to any kind of 'amulet' wether it is just rock, coin or necklace. And when you need to boost self-esteem, have it with you.

CC, photo by: cliff1066™

Peter, finishing his bachelor's at University of economics in major statistics and informatics in Europe. He is former salesman and recruiter with experience in USA, stockbroker IT and marketing fan with keen and burning desire for stock and futures trading for whole of his life

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Posted in: Personal improvement,Psychology,success