Albert Ellis Quotes about Self Esteem

Self-esteem is the greatest sickness known to man or woman because it's conditional.

Self-esteem is the greatest sickness known to man or woman because it's conditional.

Self Esteem, Men, Sickness

"A Guide to Rational Living". Book by Albert Ellis, 1961.

This, perhaps, goes to show that conditional self-esteem, as I have said for many years, is an insidious, real sickness, so much so that even Buddhists carelessly sneak it in and sometimes encourage their clients to achieve it.

Albert Ellis

Buddhist, Real, Self Esteem

Attempts to help humans eliminate all self-ratings and views self-esteem as a self-defeating concept that encourages them to make conditional evaluations of self. Instead, it teaches people unconditional self-acceptance.

Albert Ellis

Self Esteem, Acceptance, Views

Albert Ellis (1990). “The essential Albert Ellis: seminal writings on psychotherapy”, Springer Publishing Company

For that again, is what all manner of religion essentially is: childish dependency. If something is irrational, that means it won't work. It's usually unrealistic. People don't just get upset. They contribute to their upsetness. People have motives and thoughts of which they are unaware. Rational beliefs bring us closer to getting good results in the real world. Self-esteem is the greatest sickness known to man or woman because it's conditional. The art of love is largely the art of persistence.

Albert Ellis

Art, Real, Self Esteem

Is self-esteem a sickness? That's according to the way you define it. In the usual way it is defined by people and by psychologists, I'd say that it is probably the greatest emotional disturbance known to man and woman.

Albert Ellis

Self Esteem, Men, Emotional

Albert Ellis (2005). “The Myth of Self-esteem: How Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy Can Change Your Life Forever”