What is Self-Image?

What is Self-Image?

Self-image (or self-concept) is the foundation of personality. It summarises the beliefs a person holds about their own abilities, potentialities and limitations.

It is the basis of people's habitual emotional state, which drives all behaviours and therefore external results.

Self-Image Shapes Behaviour

Everything we do is an expression of our self-image: the way we dress, the way we speak, the jobs we apply for, and the ones we don't.

Our self-concept places limits on our behaviours, often self-imposed.

People rarely behave in ways that contradict their self-image; when they do, they feel fake, perform badly, and quickly return to behaviours that correspond to their self-image.

Origin of the Self-Image

When babies are born, they know practically nothing; all they know is how to suckle and startle at loud noises, or being dropped.

Children very quickly start to assemble a self-concept to describe themselves to themselves.

It is formed from information given to them by parents, siblings, friends, teachers, relatives, and media, including books and films and their own decisions, often made at a very young age.

These decisions then crystallize into firm beliefs. For example, failing at a math problem might lead a child to think, "I'm no good at maths." This belief can crystallize into a conviction, shaping their motivations and actions for life, avoiding math and never developing the skills, thereby living as a non-mathematician, fully convinced that's "just the way I am".

Subconscious Beliefs Asserting Themselves

Beliefs can be classified into two different types: conscious and subconscious. You are aware of your conscious beliefs, like your views on the current government or the existence of God. However, many beliefs are subconscious.

Mental Habits

Just as we have physical habits, like tying shoelaces in the same way every day, we have mental habits that we repeat daily without ever consciously thinking about them.

Bad Habits

Some of our thinking habits are bad because they limit our self-concept, imposing unnecessary restrictions on what we allow ourselves to believe we are capable of.

These are self-imposed limitations, not genetically mediated, and they do not truly represent our potential. They are, instead, expressions of our false beliefs about what we can and cannot do.

Reframe

To improve our emotional state and perform better in all areas, we need to gain a proper perspective on our potentialities and identify and eliminate the subconscious limitations we have imposed on ourselves.

Take the Brakes Off

If we can take the brakes off our personality, we will be able to actualise our full potential, which is our ultimate aim.

Definition: Self-image

For personal growth, self-image is a belief system that sums up how you see your own skills, chances and limits. It sits mostly below awareness, rules your daily mood and behaviour, and takes shape in childhood from the words and cues you take in. Change it, and your actions change too.

Article Summary

Your life mirrors the picture you hold of yourself; when you spot and replace limiting beliefs, you lift mood, widen action and unlock true potential.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some questions that frequently get asked about this topic during our training sessions.

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Did You Know: Key Statistics

About the Author: Chris Farmer

Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years' experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.

Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.

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Further Reading in Personal Development

• What is Self-Image?
  Learn what self image is, how childhood beliefs limit you, and simple steps to reframe mindset, drop mental brakes and drive personal growth for work and life
  Read Article >
• Social inheritance
  Social inheritance hands you beliefs that set your limits. Learn to spot bias, drop it and build a fresh mind set that drives success and personal growth.
  Read Article >
• Harnessing Aristotle's Ideas for Personal Development
  Unlock growth with Aristotle personal development. Definition, genus, differences, proprium and accidens guide clear goals, self-awareness and positive change.
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• How To Improve Your Productivity
  Learn how to improve productivity by setting clear goals, managing time, solving problems and keeping a positive mindset. Turn busy days into high value work.
  Read Article >
• Develop Your Mind, Body and Spirit
  Self improvement starts within. Learn ways to sharpen logic, feed your body, and lift your mood so you can take charge and transform your life today for good.
  Read Article >

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