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Self-esteem helps to advance intellectual and philosophical self-discovery.

Self-esteem, internal locus of control, and self-efficacy help to anchor a positive sense of self.

Self-belief and self-esteem help sustain an individual's ongoing trust in themselves.

René Descartes was on a quest for many years to prove the existence of the self and also of the external world. This quest eventually led Descartes to the declaration: “I think, therefore I am.”

This truth has now continually echoed through the centuries. When Descartes declared “I think, therefore I am,” he was not merely identifying the foundation of self-discovered knowledge; he was also identifying the foundation of the self. What this now also meant was that this act of self-reflective thinking and associated self‑verifying awareness proved to Descartes not only the existence of the thinker, but also that the external world existed and that the individual self-evidently existed in this external world (Judge & Bono, 2001).

Descartes first presented the “cogito” in French in 1637 as “Je pense, donc je suis.” He later expressed it in Latin in 1641 as “Cogito, ergo sum,” which was eventually translated into English as “I think, therefore I am.”

The Point of Intellectual Self-Discovery

This idea is generally seen as the starting point of intellectual self-discovery, when Western philosophy began to recognise conscious self-awareness (rather than external authority) as being the main source of knowledge. Importantly, in terms of his thinking, Descartes held a deep, sincere belief that God was the ultimate guarantor of truth. However, the cogito (the insight that the very act of thinking reveals and confirms the existence of the thinker) is still regarded as a profound world-changing shift in relation to how individuals understood knowledge, both personally, culturally, and socially.

Self-Reflection Choices and Personal Responsibility

This insight and its wider cultural and broader social influence serve as an early expression of personal responsibility, self-authorship, and the power of self-reflective thought to affirm “that I know that I exist.” From this perspective, the individual can recognise the existence of the world around them (Gallagher, 2000; Korsgaard, 1989). In this spirit, Responsibility Theory, which centres on cultivating an internal locus of control, acknowledges Descartes with the following statement: “I think, therefore I am (Descartes). I am what I think, do, say, learn, and choose” (Purje, 2014).

Research by Glasser (1965) advances this understanding of self-authorship by asserting that all human behaviour is chosen and internally driven. In Reality Therapy, Glasser argued that individuals are responsible for their actions and must evaluate whether their behaviours help them meet their needs, a position that aligns directly with the principles of having an internal locus of control.

In Control Theory (1984), Glasser proposed that behaviour is not a reaction to external forces but an internally generated attempt to control one’s perceptions and satisfy fundamental psychological needs such as belonging, power, freedom, and fun.

This internal orientation culminated in Choice Theory (1998), in which Glasser emphasised that people choose their thoughts, feelings, and actions, and therefore determine the quality of their lives. Glasser’s work reinforces the idea that self-esteem is strengthened when individuals recognise their agency: They choose their behaviours, interpretations, and responses.

At this stage, it is crucial to recognise that the self is supported by several distinct yet interconnected capacities that strengthen and maintain responsibility. Self-belief is the general and overall trust a person has in themselves, while self-efficacy is the belief in one’s ability to perform specific tasks or actions, which has a connection with self-esteem and self-respect.

Mastery and Deliberate Choices

Self-esteem reflects one’s overall evaluation of worth, and self-respect indicates one’s moral regard for oneself. These capacities are not identical, yet they work together. As noted, self-belief provides the foundation for the self, and self-efficacy develops through mastery and deliberate choice. From this, the contention is that self-esteem stabilises through self-evaluation, and self-respect anchors the individual in confidence and dignity. Collectively, all of this intrinsically reinforces the individual’s capacity to think, act, learn, and choose with confidence, self-directed authorship, clarity, and agency.

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All of this adds to and captures the essence of self-belief and self-efficacy, where confidence in one’s ability to act effectively grows through constructive, intentional choices and mastery. It also reflects, as noted, an internal locus of control by attributing responsibility for outcomes solely to the individual. What is important to note here is that, according to Glasser, no one can diminish another’s self-belief and self-esteem unless the person willingly gives up that power to another, which is, of course, a conscious and deliberate choice.

As such, one needs to note the following. Research shows that self-belief and self-esteem need to be seen as an enduring cognitive action of always valuing the self in a positive light. This enduring positive self-evaluation is also linked to self-competence (Tafarodi & Swann Jr., 2001). Even though there is now the understanding of having positive thoughts about the self, what must be noted is that there will inevitably be times when circumstances or others' opinions will be negative, and the self will have no control over this.

However, negative circumstances or opinions from others should not damage self-belief and self-esteem. That is, as noted, because the individual, i.e., the self, owns, controls, and manages their thoughts, actions, self-belief, and self-esteem. The key and central idea here is “the self.” I am the self. The self is me. I am me. All of this means that I am responsible for, I am in control, and I've got the power over what I think, do, say, learn, and choose (Purje, 2014).

Ownership and Control

Therfore it is well-worth reiterating (noting that repetion is one of the keys to knowledge) that in terms of negative circumstances and/or opinions, a person may feel disappointed about an outcome or by what another has said, but this does not—under any circumstances—need to automatically reduce one’s self-esteem, self-efficacy, self-belief, self-competence, agency, or self-respect, which you own and control (Baumeister et al., 2003; Kernis, 2003; Orth & Robins, 2014; Purje, 2014; Tafarodi & Swann Jr., 2001).

A strong, self-initiated, and self-understood sense of self-esteem, self-efficacy, self-belief, self-competence, self-respect, and agency forms the essence of a healthy and grounded view of self. Having self-esteem, self-efficacy, self-belief, self-competence, agency, and self-respect, along with the associated confidence and self-initiated insight to ignore any negative external forces, is power. It is real, meaningful, and authentic intrinsic self-activated intellectual power.

My Life, My Choices, My Power, My Path

When this insight is achieved and sustained, the individual becomes intellectually, emotionally, and holistically self-assured and better able to navigate life with greater clarity, confidence, and assertiveness. This means that self-esteem, self-efficacy, self-belief, self-competence, agency, and self-respect are not built by others; they are built, established, and actualised by the self, for the self (Phan et al., 2021; Stets & Burke, 2014; Tafarodi & Swann Jr., 2001).

This is not a superficial platitude. It is a constructive, positive, self-reflective lived philosophy. It is a daily declaration of self-authorship, self-regulation, and self-management. I think, and I know who I am. I am responsible for, and I’ve got the power over what I think, do, say, learn, and choose. I’ve got the power! “My life. My choices. My power. My path." (Purje, 2014).

Baumeister, R. F., Campbell, J. D., Krueger, J. I., & Vohs, K. D. (2003). Does high self-esteem cause better performance, interpersonal success, happiness, or healthier lifestyles? Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 4(1), 1–44.

Gallagher, S. (2000). Philosophical conceptions of the self: Implications for cognitive science. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 4(1), 14–21.

Glasser, W. (1965). Reality therapy: A new approach to psychiatry. Harper & Row.

Glasser, W. (1984). Control theory: A new explanation of how we control our lives. Harper & Row.

Glasser, W. (1998). Choice theory: A new psychology of personal freedom. HarperCollins.

Judge, T. A., & Bono, J. E. (2001). Relationship of core self-evaluations traits—self-esteem, generalized self-efficacy, locus of control, and emotional stability—with job satisfaction and job performance: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86(1), 80–92.

Kernis, M. H. (2003). Toward a conceptualization of optimal self-esteem. Psychological Inquiry, 14(1), 1–26.

Korsgaard, C. M. (1989). Personal identity and the unity of agency: A Kantian response to Parfit. Philosophy & Public Affairs,101-132.

Orth, U., & Robins, R. W. (2014). The development of self-esteem. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 23(5), 381–387.

Phan, H. P., Ngu, B. H., & White, M. O. (2021). Introducing ‘holistic psychology’for life qualities: A theoretical model for consideration. Heliyon, 7(1). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844020326852

Purje, R. (2014). Responsibility Theory. (Who’s got the power?). Amazon/Kindle.

Stets, J. E., & Burke, P. J. (2014). The development of identity theory. Advances in Group Processes, Volume 31, 57-97. Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Tafarodi, R. W., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (2001). Two-dimensional self-esteem: Theory and measurement. Personality and Individual Differences, 31(5), 653–673.

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