100 Self-Esteem Quotes To Improve The Way You See Yourself

By Maxime Lagacé

Maxime is the founder of WisdomQuotes. He has been collecting quotes since 2004. His goal? To help you develop a calm and peaceful mind. Learn more about him on his about page.

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self esteem quotes wisdom

Here are 100 of the best self-esteem quotes I could find.

Keep in mind:

having true self-esteem is a long process.

But if you keep going, things can change.

And your life will never be the same:

  • You will stop caring so much about what other people think
  • You will be more self-reliant
  • You will feel more freedom
  • You will be more relaxed

After all, the opinion we must value the most is our own.

Not the one from our mother.

Not the one from our father.

Not the one from our friends.

Our own.

You’ll discover quotes by Buddha, Emerson, Osho, and more.

Enjoy!

Top 10 Self-Esteem Quotes

self esteem quotes made primarily two things jack canfield wisdom

Self-esteem is made up primarily of two things: feeling lovable and feeling capable. Jack Canfield

I used to hate feeling embarrassed, but then I realized nobody’s watching and nobody gives a damn. Barbara Corcoran

Be faithful to that which exists within yourself. André Gide

Who you are inside is what helps you make and do everything in life. Fred Rogers

Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world. Lucille Ball

self esteem quotes world never value yourself bill masur wisdom

The world will never value you more than you value yourself. Bill Masur

Self-esteem isn’t everything; it’s just that there’s nothing without it. Gloria Steinem

Tell your struggling self, I love you so much. Haemin Sunim

You don’t have to convince anybody of anything, and you don’t have to attract anyone’s attention. Haruki Murakami (Norwegian Wood)

No one actually knows what the hell they’re doing. Everyone is just working off their current best guess. Mark Manson

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Famous Self-Esteem Quotes

self esteem quotes person nothing looks halle berry wisdom

A person’s self-esteem has nothing to do with how she looks. Halle Berry

The most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely. Carl Gustav Jung

The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated. William James

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment. Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you don’t believe in yourself, no one will do it for you. Kobe Bryant

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind. Dr. Seuss

I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence. Frederick Douglass

Every small positive change we make in ourselves repays us in confidence in the future. Alice Walker

self esteem quotes nothing builds self confidence thomas carlyle wisdom

Nothing builds self-esteem and self-confidence like accomplishment. Thomas Carlyle

When you undervalue what you do, the world will undervalue who you are. Oprah Winfrey

You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection. Buddha

Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are. Marilyn Monroe

Humility is the mother of giants. One sees great things from the valley; only small things from the peak. G.K. Chesterton (The Innocence of Father Brown)

There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow men. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self. Ernest Hemingway

If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish. Sam Walton (Walmart)

You doubt your value. Don’t run from who you are. C.S. Lewis (Prince Caspian)

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Short Self-Esteem Quotes

self esteem quotes loudest critic internal james clear wisdom

The loudest critic is internal. James Clear

Love who you are, embrace who you are. Lilly Singh

Chasing approval chases it away. @TheStoicEmperor

Talk about your failures without apologizing. Brené Brown

The world can only see us as we see ourselves. David Hawkins

Stop comparing your life to everyone around you. Eric Thomas

You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. Dr. Seuss

You have real success when you don’t try to impress. Maxime Lagacé

Put all excuses aside and remember this: you are capable. Zig Ziglar

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More Quotes About Self-Esteem

self esteem quotes action high road self confidence bruce lee wisdom

Action is a high road to self-confidence and self-esteem. Bruce Lee

Feeling good about ourselves is essential in our being able to love others. Fred Rogers

The only thing that matters in life, is your own opinion about yourself. Osho

Respect your uniqueness, and drop comparison. Relax into your being. Osho

People only root for you after you root for yourself. Alex Hormozi

Shame is the most powerful, master emotion. It’s the fear that we’re not good enough. Brené Brown

Your sense of self-worth comes from you alone – never the opinion of others. Robert Greene

One who knows himself is never disturbed by what you think about him. Osho

You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. Maya Angelou

I hope you’re able to grow to respect whoever you are inside. Fred Rogers

Don’t let anyone make you feel that you don’t deserve the good things that happen in your life. Paulo Coelho

It’s exhausting caring about what other people think. Thibaut


self esteem quotes worst outcome world love yourself naval ravikant wisdom

The worst outcome in this world is not having self-esteem. If you don’t love yourself, who will? Naval Ravikant

Nothing will attract people to you as much as your values. Naval Ravikant

Hesitation puts obstacles in your path, boldness eliminates them. Robert Greene

Develop a love for solitude and silence and you’ll get peace and self-reliance in return. Maxime Lagacé

The better you feel about yourself, the less you feel the need to show off. Robert Hand

If you want to see the love of your life, look in the mirror. Byron Katie

The best way to improve your self-esteem: Get your body in shape. It won’t fix everything, but the effort needed to get yourself lean and healthy is something that you can always look back on and be proud of. Dan Go

To keep going when it’s tough is important. To believe in yourself no matter what is vital. Maxime Lagacé

Love yourself. When you love yourself, people can pick up on that: they can see confidence, they can see self-esteem, and naturally, people gravitate towards you. Lilly Singh

self esteem quotes beings with self understanding maxime lagace wisdom

Self-esteem begins with self-understanding, grows with courage and perseverance, ends with confidence. Maxime Lagacé

You have moments, days, sometimes weeks when you will doubt yourself. Just know, it is all part of the spiritual process. Iyanla Vanzant

Retrieve your self-esteem so it is not dependent on how they do or don’t respond to you. You are enough. You are worthy. Thema Bryant-Davis

Your own level of excitement and self-belief will convince people that you know where you are going and should be followed. Robert Greene

Creative ideas happen when you stop thinking about what others will think. James Clear

Surround yourself with people who only lift you higher. Payal Kadakia

So much advantage in life comes from being willing to look like an idiot over the short term. Shane Parrish

When I extend small kindness to others, I find it easier to like myself. If you feel that your self-esteem is low, try extending small kindness to strangers. Haemin Sunim

We can gradually drop our ideals of who we think we ought to be… or who we think other people think we want to be or ought to be. Pema Chödrön

self esteem quotes dont compare chapter one tom bilyeu wisdom

Don’t compare your chapter 1 to someone else’s chapter 20. Tom Bilyeu

The starting point of building your self-esteem is for you to have a clear sense of who you are and what you want. Brian Tracy

Disciplining yourself to do what you know is right and important, although difficult, is the highroad to pride, self-esteem, and personal satisfaction. Margaret Thatcher

Every hero must have the courage to be alone, to take the journey for himself. Joseph Campbell

Eliminate the need to be liked. Replace it with the intention to be of service, whether to others, something you believe in, or your highest self. Neil Strauss

Low self-esteem is like driving through life with your handbreak on. Maxwell Maltz

No matter how hard you try, there is always some guy or girl who achieves more. My attitude is, so what? Does any of us need to be at the very top of the whole world? It’s ridiculous. Charlie Munger

The reward for conformity is that everyone likes you but yourself. Rita Mae Brown

If you care too much about being praised, in the end you will not accomplish anything serious. Leo Tolstoy (A Calendar Of Wisdom, Amazon book)

self esteem quotes foundation self understanding maxime lagace wisdom

The foundation for self-esteem is self-understanding. Maxime Lagacé

It takes great personal courage to let yourself appear weak. David Foster Wallace (Infinite Jest)

The best way to be miserable is by comparing yourself to others. Shane Parrish (Source)

Don’t discuss yourself, for you are bound to lose; if you belittle yourself, you are believed; if you praise yourself, you are disbelieved. Michel de Montaigne

When you’re lazy you avoid the hard work necessary to build lasting self-esteem. Maxime Lagacé

When someone bases their self-esteem on the approval of others, they are abandoning themselves. It is an exhausting and powerless way to live. Neil Strauss

Everyone is lying – about what they make, about how confident they feel, about how hard they work, about how well things are going. Stop comparing yourself to these lies. Stop thinking about them at all. Ryan Holiday

Ask for what you want. You usually won’t get it, and often the rejection will be painful. But when this works, it works surprisingly well. Sam Altman

self esteem quotes every aciton vote person become james clear wisdom

Every action is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. James Clear

If you are insecure, guess what? The rest of the world is too. Do not overestimate the competition and underestimate yourself. You are better than you think. T. Harv Eker

The only way to feel better about yourself is to do things worth feeling good about. Respect is earned, not given. Mark Manson

People wear all sorts of things, but the best part is the part that’s on the inside. That’s what’s really you — the person inside. Fred Rogers

Talking much about oneself can also be a means to conceal oneself. Friedrich Nietzsche

If you are ever tempted to look for outside approval, realize that you have compromised your integrity. If you need a witness, be your own. Epictetus

Nothing I accept about myself can be used against me to diminish me. Audre Lorde

Don’t base your identity on your imperfection. You aren’t your imperfections, you are the being that is aware of your imperfections. Haemin Sunim

Pay respect that you may be respected, and know that to be esteemed you must show esteem. Baltasar Gracián

Why should we worry about what others think of us, do we have more confidence in their opinions than we do our own? Brigham Young

If you boast, you will have no merit. If you promote yourself, you will have no success. Lao Tzu (Tao Te Ching, Amazon book)

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Part 3. Conclusion

You are loved just for being who you are, just for existing. You don’t have to do anything to earn it. Your shortcomings, your lack of self-esteem, physical perfection, or social and economic success – none of that matters. No one can take this love away from you, and it will always be here. Ram Dass

Visual For Self-Esteem

self esteem quotes visual being weird maxime lagace wisdom

You change the world by being yourself. Yoko Ono

Know, first, who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly. Epictetus

Grow up! Who cares what other people think about you! Epictetus

If you are always trying to be normal you will never know how amazing you can be. Maya Angelou

When you see your beauty you will be the idol of yourself. Rumi

The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you really are. Carl Jung

The one you are looking for is you. Osho

Key Takeaways

  • Want higher self-esteem? Remember most people don’t care. And most people are not watching you.
  • The most precious thing in the world? Who you are inside.
  • Keep in mind:
    • Everyone has doubts
    • Everyone is struggling with something
  • The benefits of high self-esteem?
    • You stop seeking attention
    • You stop being a spectator
    • You start creating your life
  • There’s a difference between high self-esteem and arrogance. So never forget: humility is beauty.

Further Readings

Hope you liked these beautiful self-esteem quotes. If you did, please share them with a friend today!

Do you have good self-esteem? What’s your favorite self-esteem quote? And remember: words can transform your life, if you find the right ones.

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Author Bio

maxime lagace

Maxime Lagacé started collecting quotes in 2004 after he lost his girlfriend in a car accident.

In search of meaning, he dived in the self-improvement world, psychology and trail running.

Books, blogs, quotes and nature became his guide.

He started journaling, reflecting, writing his thoughts, feelings and quotes.

His goal was to understand his pain, his depression, his fears, his lack of motivation and inspiration.

He finished his software engineering degree in 2007 at the École de Technologie Supérieure de Montréal.

A few years later, he started his first website to share his love of quotes.

Maxime is a father of two, husband, and INFJ.

Other notable interests of Maxime are health (mental and physical), meditation, bananas, SEO, human potential, and education.

You can find him on X, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube.

Last update

July 14, 2025

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