The great thing is, a positive self-concept boosts your confidence and self-esteem. And most importantly, it\u2019s the gateway to your fulfillment and self-actualization<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-concept is your unique understanding of who you are \u2014 from personality traits to ambitions to what you do to make a living. It\u2019s a collection of the identities you carry throughout your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Think of these identities as the roles you play. You might be a painter, an entrepreneur, or a teacher. You might have a whimsical cultural background. <\/p>\n\n\n\n These roles are fluid, yet some are more rigid than others. There may be parts of yourself you have identified with since you were a child, like your family heritage or spiritual beliefs. And there may be less familiar parts, like a new hobby or partner in your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, if you are a mother, it might be a big part of your self-concept, but it\u2019s not the only thing<\/em> that makes you who you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, everything you do, think, believe, and feel makes up your self-concept. It\u2019s the self that you construct (and reconstruct) moment-to-moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-concept can be positive or negative. Here are 15 self-concept examples. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s start with the positive ones:<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the flip side, negative self-concepts sound like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of your self-concepts aren\u2019t domain-specific. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Simply put, your self-concept can be identified through self-talk, especially when things go wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-concept is a complex system, and there are several self-concept approaches to it. Here\u2019s a closer look at the most prominent studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Carl Rogers, one of the founders of humanistic psychology, self-concept is comprised of these three components:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Self-image<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-image is the way you see yourself. It includes your physical appearance, personality traits, and social roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, Carl Rogers clarifies that self-image doesn\u2019t always match reality. Some people\u2019s self-image may be inflated or distorted to a degree. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Self-esteem<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-esteem is the unique value you place upon yourself. If this value is low \u2014 you get low self-esteem<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s wired around your personal evaluation of your success and stems from your expectations. It also includes your comparisons of yourself with others and your beliefs about other people\u2019s perceptions of you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Like with self-image, what you believe others think about you doesn\u2019t necessarily match their actual perception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Ideal self<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The \u2018ideal self\u2019 is a vision of who you aspire to become. When it can\u2019t compete with your self-image, it can negatively impact your self-esteem. Can they actually align?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, they can. While it may be a bit of a path, the closer you get to your vision, the more you will step into self-actualization to become your ideal self.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-concept maintenance states that our self-concept isn\u2019t fixed or subject to some divine providential development. On the contrary, we actively shape our self-concept, maintaining and enhancing it based on our experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This theory studies:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Does it mean that you have no room for moral ambiguity? It depends on your level of self-awareness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When you regularly assess yourself and your internal moral standards, you are less likely to engage in some unethical activity because it will impact your self-concept. Interestingly, in contrast, some people, given the freedom to benefit from dishonest actions, will engage in it without impacting their self-concept. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Developed by social psychologist Henri Tajfe, this theory states that self-concept is composed of two essential parts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Henry Tajfe explains that since your social identity impacts your self-concept, it also affects your emotions and behaviors. If your team loses a game, you will, at least, feel frustrated and, at most, act out against the winning team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Contrary to Henry Tajfe, psychologist Bruce A. Bracken believed that self-concept wasn\u2019t that linear but rather multidimensional. He suggested six independent traits comprising one\u2019s self-concept:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s admit that Bracken\u2019s theory offers a comprehensive assessment that evaluates these six elements of self-concept in children and adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-concept develops and alters throughout your life, but your early childhood years are the ripest time for your self-concept development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are three general stages during early childhood: from 0 to 2 years old; from 3 to 4 years old; from 5 to 6 years old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Children are like sponges. They learn from their parents, and often we have anxious parents who teach us to be anxious.<\/p>\n\u2014 Marisa Peer, trainer of Mindvalley\u2019s Rapid Transformational Hypnotherapy for Abundance<\/em> Quest<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Think of this stage from the perspective of \u201cI am and the world\u201d<\/em> \u2014 this is when your sense of self is separate from the world and develops accordingly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Between 7 and 11 years old, children develop a sense of their social selves and how they fit in with everyone else. This is when they start comparing themselves with others and developing a self-concept based on how others see them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-concept at this stage also includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, this is the stage of \u201cI am in the world.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is when your self-concept goes off \u2014 you play with your sense of self and experiment with your identity. Moreover, the basis of the self-concept you develop at this stage may stay with you for the rest of your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to science<\/a>, during this period, adults are less influenced by their peers and chemical changes happening in the brain. They are more self-aware and conscious and can enjoy greater and more free self-expression. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Two important factors influence self-concept and self-worth in adults: success in areas you want to succeed and approval from people you consider significant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the stage of \u201cThe world in me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Career is one of the 12 major life areas <\/a>that deserve your utmost attention to create your best life. And your self-concept develops during any career. Though the fifth stage is characterized by reduced output, it can have a tremendous impact on your self-concept. If you have lived your best life, your self-concept is solidified as utterly positive and gives you the ultimate fulfillment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Needless to say that we aren\u2019t equal in terms of the initial given conditions. For example, you may not have the opportunity to explore yourself and establish your desired career. Yet, your self-concept drives your career development and overall self-actualization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-esteem is what you think, feel, and believe about yourself. It\u2019s a very subjective evaluation. As for self-worth, it\u2019s a broader value based on social recognition. It\u2019s how you see yourself as a valuable person, worthy of love, admiration, and respect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your self-worth is based on two values \u2014 intrinsic and instrumental:<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s a negative perception of yourself, your personality traits, and your ways of thinking and doing things. Simply put, you have an inaccurate notion of who you are (or no notion at all). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Paradoxically, people with a negative self-concept can\u2019t stand criticism because they are their own most judgemental critics. And apparently, they also tend to criticize others as the negative perception of others is a mere reflection of their own self-concept.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Think of it as negative statements you repeat to yourself, like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Marisa Peer<\/strong>, the formidable hypnotherapist and trainer of Mindvalley\u2019s Rapid Transformational Hypnotherapy for Abundance<\/em> Quest, one of our greatest pains is the lie we tell ourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The good news is that you can stop this pain by stopping telling yourself these lies and start telling yourself better lies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead of saying, \u201cMy life sucks,<\/em>\u201d say to yourself, \u201cMy life is amazing, and I\u2019m an amazing person!<\/em>\u201d To have a positive self-concept, you must stop looking for your self-esteem outside of yourself. Instead, you want to become your own most cheerful cheerleader. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There is nothing on this planet that will boost your self-esteem in the same way as your praise.<\/p>\n\u2014 Marisa Peer, trainer of Mindvalley\u2019s Rapid Transformational Hypnotherapy for Abundance<\/em> Quest<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nWhat Is Self-Concept?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
15 Self-Concept Examples<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Self-Concept Theories<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Humanistic approach<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Self-Concept Maintenance Theory<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Social Identity Theory<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Multiple Dimensions Theory<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The Development Stages of Self-Concept<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Stage #1: 0 to 2 years old<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nStage #2: 3 to 4 years old<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nStage 3: 5 to 6 years old<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Self-concept in middle childhood<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The development of self-concept in adolescence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Self-Concept and Career Development<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
According to researcher Donald E. Super<\/a>, there are five life and career development stages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Self-Esteem vs. Self-Worth <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nWhat Is a Negative Self-Concept?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Examples of a negative self-concept<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cEven if it\u2019s not true, if it feels better, you will feel better by telling yourself a better lie,\u201d<\/em> she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSelf-Concept Affirmations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Here are some self-praise affirmations you can say to yourself:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n