A fine line exists between self-interest and selfish. While the self-interested takes accomplishments, skills, needs, and wants of others into account as fuel for the pursuit of something remarkable, a selfish mindset views everyone and everything as a hindering comparison. Have you ever heard the saying, “If only the best birds sang in the forest, the world would be a quiet place”? This truth applies dramatically to us humans and it all starts at what we believe about ourselves. Is your view of yourself high or low?

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You are More than You Think You Are

If you capture the concept that you are uniquely valuable and your contributions are vitally important, by the end of reading this you will have a different outlook on life. Your outlook will set you up for success no matter the trial, tribulation, or tribe you find yourself in.

Have you ever wondered what makes a great story character?

Is it their personality?

Their charm?

Their circumstances?

Their persecution?

How about the struggle in which they grow?

Or the impact they have on their world?

Yes to all, but basically none of the above. The primary reason, without a doubt, boils down to how relatable they are to us. Can we see a piece of us in them? Does their struggle represent our struggle? Does their achievement give us hope to achieve? Has their experiences formed their worldview much the same as our own?

Once we relate to a character, what do we do then? Do we stop there and say, that’s nice, they’re just like me?

No. Never.

We latch on like a viper. We sink our fangs deep, craving all the character has to offer. We want their drive. We want their motivation. We want their ability to keep going when they’re knocked down over and over. We want their hope. We want their mindset. We want to overcome, like them. We want to win, like them.

Face the Fork in the Road

At this point, every one of us faces a fork in the road. We all want to win and overcome, to be successful in pursuing our goals and dreams, to achieve new things and develop into someone new and dynamic. But, we can do it in one of two ways.

Motivational author and speaker Jim Rohn likens the options to a builder who desires to have the tallest building in the city. He could achieve that by simply getting to work on the tallest building, or he could get to work by ripping all the other tall buildings down.

The builder who sees the other tall buildings and chooses to build yet higher has a self-worth mindset. He views the accomplishments of others as things to celebrate. Things to learn from. Things to partner with.

The builder who chooses to destroy what others have created in order to win sees himself as worthless, just as worthless as everyone and everything else.

We really can’t have it both ways. For us to see ourselves as valuable members of society, priceless parts of the whole, we must also attribute that attitude to others. But if we don’t feel good about ourselves internally, the external world suffers a great deal.

Find What Inspires You

Ever wonder why gyms have hundreds of posters on the wall of successful athletes, bodybuilders, power lifters, or other champions? It’s all about inspiration. When we look upon someone who has achieved something in their life that we aspire to similarly achieve, we can have hope. We can say, “If they were able to do it, I can do it.”

The people who inspire us most are…you guessed it…the most relatable to us. But only if we value ourselves and others.

Let’s look at the most successful authors in history, based off estimated sales in fiction.

• William Shakespeare – $3 Billion
• Agatha Christie – $3 Billion
• Barbara Cartland – $750 Million
• J.K. Rowling – $500 Million
• Dean Koontz – $375 Million
• Stephen King – $325 Million
• Dr. Seuss – $300 Million
• C.S. Lewis – $150 Million
• Ian Flemming – $100 Million

If I asked you, which I am asking you, which of the above authors do you like the most, or which one do you think is the best, notice how financial sales doesn’t matter. It now comes down to impact. Which author impacted you the most? Which author do you relate to the most?

Do you find J.K. Rowling to be a kindred spirit while you work quietly alone on a potential masterpiece?

Or perhaps you too are creating a style never seen before and are facing ridicule for it. Does the life of Dr. Seuss inspire you to keep trying to make your mark?

If we don’t value ourselves, we see those who have accomplished many things and decide, if ever so subtley, we shouldn’t even bother trying. We think things like, this other person has already done it better than me. Or, I could never be that good…maybe I’m just not meant for this.

If we do value ourselves, we turn to the lives that came before us and, with great acknowledgement we see what someone can become if they don’t give us. We see what can happen if one simply tries. We come to the realization that, although different, we are very much the same.

The same wind blows, the same Sun shines, the same thunder cracks, and the same bugs crawl. We all face difficulty in life. Some worse. Some better. Some easier. Some harder. Some newer. Some older. Some now. Some then. Some here. Some there. And as Jim Rohn likes to say, it’s not these same things that propel or crush a person. It’s what they do with it. It’s the sail we hoist to catch the wind. It’s the effort in which we plow the soil. It’s the action we perform despite the heat or cold.

Change Happens to Those Who Change

You want to become a better write than you are now. Great. Look at those who have gone before you. Not to compare and feel defeated. But to analyze, to redirect, to plan, and to inspire.

If you want more, you must accept you already are more. You are valuable. You are priceless. You have skills, abilities, thoughts, ideas, and ways of seeing things that no one else has. Just as a daughter is more than worthy of the time and attention of her father, your life and work is worthy to be celebrated and admired. Each of us has a unique roll to play if we want the next 5, 10, or 20 years to be better than the last 5, 10, or 20 years.

I would love to celebrate your successes, even the little ones. Would you share some below in the comments? Has anything gone well for you? What’s the next goal you’re pursuing? Tell us! We all need more opportunities to appreciate and celebrate other people. It’s in the midst of that we can truly appreciate and celebrate ourselves.

If this encouraged you at all, would you consider doing three simple things? First, share a comment. Your thoughts are priceless! Second, subscribe to my site via email with the subscription tool on the right sidebar, or below if you’re on a mobile device. You’ll get noticed when new posts like these are available. And third, if this message of self-worth impacted you, it’ll impact those around you. Use the social media buttons to share the piece with your sphere of influence. You never know who might stumble across it and have their life transformed forever.

Keep reading. Keep writing. Keep trying. Keep flying.

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