It is easy to spot people who don’t feel good about themselves, who display the tell-tale signs of a poor picture of themselves.

The first step to correcting a problem is to recognize that a problem exists. The alcoholic must first admit that he is dependent upon alcohol before anything can be done about the addiction. Recognizing the signs of a weak self-picture provides a chance to repair that perception.

An individual may have once blamed others for his faults, but it is essential that he knows that he is responsible for his picture, no matter how it came to be.

Many people have their lives lessened by feelings of inferiority to some extent, and this same feeling of inferiority is a serious handicap to success and happiness.

In one sense, every person on the Earth is inferior to many others. Nobody can lift as much weight as Bill Pearl, throw a football like Aaron Rodgers or dance like Cyd Charisse.

But this knowledge should not induce feelings of inferiority and lessen quality of life. Nor should it make people feel that they is no good merely because they cannot do certain things as skillfully or as well as others can.

Every person an individual meets is greater or inferior in certain respects. Even people who appear perfect in everything they do have shortcomings in other areas. Likewise, people who seem to stumble and stutter have talents to share with the world.

Feelings of inferiority originate not so much from facts or experience but from a person’s conclusions regarding facts and an evaluation of experiences.

Remember, being less of a quarterback than Aaron Rodgers does not make anyone less of a person.

It is not a lack of skill that gives an individual a bad life picture. It is the feeling of inferiority that does this.

This feeling – this inferior picture – comes about for just one reason: People judge and measure themselves not against their own norms or standards but against another individual’s norm.

When we do this, we always, without exception, come out second best. As a result, we feel miserable and second-rate and conclude that something is wrong with us.

The next logical step is a feeling of unworthiness, that we do not deserve success or happiness, and that it would inappropriate to fully express our abilities and talents, whatever they might be, without apology or without feeling guilty about it.

All of these feelings come about because we buy into the erroneous idea that, “I should be like so-and-so,” or, “I should be like everyone else.” The major fallacy of “everybody else” is that “everybody else” is composed of individuals, no two of whom are alike.

A person with an inferior picture invariably compounds the error by striving for superiority. Feelings spring from the false premise of inferiority. From this false premise, we decide that the cure – the way to feel good – is to become superior.

Striving for superiority brings more trouble, more frustration and more misery than ever. And then the harder we try, the more miserable we become.

The cure is simple: See the truth about life, that we are neither inferior, nor is the other superior. We are simply ourselves.

As a personality, no one person can be in competition with any other personality, simply because no two people are alike. Everyone is unique. No one person is your measuring stick.

No “standard person” exists. No perfect individual exists. Abraham Lincoln once said, “God must have loved the common people, for he made so many of them.” He was wrong. There is no “common man.” He would have been nearer the truth had he said, “God must have loved the uncommon people for he made so many of them.”

An inferior picture and its accompanying deterioration in performance can be made to order in the psychological laboratory. All that needs to be done is to set up a standard picture and then convince the subject that he does not measure up.

In an experiment to test this concept, a psychologist gave his students a set of routine tests. Then, he solemnly announced that the average person could complete the test in about one-fifth the time it would really take. When, in the course of the test a bell would ring, indicating that the “average man’s time” was up, some of the brightest subjects became jittery and incompetent, indeed thinking themselves to be less than capable.

The key point to remember is that all individuals, including athletes, should stop measuring themselves against someone else’s standard. We can never measure up to “them.” But at the same time, neither can “they” measure up to someone else’s standards. Nor should they.

Once a person sees this simple, self-evident truth, accepts it and believes it, those inferior feelings will vanish.

The causes of a poor self-image

Why is it that so many people have a poor self-image? The No. 1 reason is the impact of a largely negative society.