Esteem is a common term and normally it is related to the importance or worth we give to certain people, happenings and places around us. There might be different ways to gauge the value of esteem we give to anyone around us. This gauge varies from person to person. Everyone has his own way of judging others and then gauging his judgment. Similarly, some might give sportsmen more esteem than doctors, lawyers or actors. It depends and it varies; it's not a constant phenomenon all around us.

Among all forms of esteem, self-esteem is the most important one. Self-esteem is a fundamental requirement if you want to succeed in your life. In this world of competition, one can easily fall prey to wrong methods of success but it is self-esteem that will guide you to the right path. Our world is still a safe place to live because of this quality of human nature; imagine the world without self-esteem in individuals, it would be nothing less than chaos.

The level of a person's self-esteem changes depending upon happenings around him. He feels elevated if he gets good grades or gets appreciation from a boss. Any good news in the family will raise his self-esteem to new heights. On the other hand breakups, financial loss or a small fight with a friend might let him down. These fluctuations are part of life and the challenge is how to overcome these situations and maintain a high self-esteem throughout.

Normal fluctuations in life are a common phenomenon. The one who will have strong self-esteem will pass through these ups and downs in a steady manner. He will not be affected much by these fluctuations; even if he is, it would be for short interval only. On the contrary, the one with low self-esteem will find it difficult to negotiate such tough situations in life.