Why is underestimating yourself bad?

Underestimating yourself naturally leads to difficulty feeling sure of your decisions. Even if you happen to get into a position of leadership, you might not make a call without seeing what another leader or expert says first.

What does underestimating yourself mean?

To underestimate is to guess that something is worth less or is smaller than it really is. You might underestimate the size of a one-pound hamburger until you realize it’s too big to fit in your stomach. When you “estimate” you take a guess at something, and when you underestimate, your guess falls short or below.

What are the negative effects of comparing oneself to other people?

Research has found that comparing breeds feelings of envy, low-self confidence, and depression, as well as compromises our ability to trust others. While downward comparison, comparing ourselves to those less fortunate, can provide some benefit to one’s sense of self, even this form of comparison comes at a price.

What happens when you compare yourself with others?

When we compare ourselves to others, we’re often comparing their best features against our average ones. It’s like being right-handed and trying to play an instrument with your left hand. Not only do we naturally want to be better than them, the unconscious realization that we are not often becomes self-destructive.

What happens when you underestimate your worth?

Underestimating yourself can make you miss out on rare opportunities in life because of self-doubt. Self-doubt and low self-esteem cause you to withdraw from life in general, and this can lead to depression and other serious mental health problems. When you underestimate your worth, other people will only see what you see.

How can I stop underestimating myself in life?

However, working through self-doubt can help increase your confidence and help you achieve your goals. If you reduce negative thoughts, work on building your self-esteem, and make healthy lifestyle choices, you can stop underestimating yourself. Challenge negative thoughts.

Why do people underestimate themselves?

As to why a person underestimates themselves, reasons vary. Psychologists commonly trace the origin of low adult self-esteem to: An abusive or dysfunctional childhood (including being the victim of bullying) The simple fact is that life often does not go the way we want or expect.

What happens when you focus too much on negative things?

One large-scale study found that rumination and self-blame over negative events were linked to an increased risk of mental health problems. 1  Focusing on negative thoughts may lead to decreased motivation as well as greater feelings of helplessness.