# Six Pillars of Self Esteem



## Ynot (Aug 26, 2014)

Has anyone read the book? I can't read more than two or three pages without having to put it down to ponder the words that have been written. 
Today I was reading about the differences between obedience and responsibility. All I can say is WOW!
It seems that there a whole hell of a lot more obedient people in the world than there are responsible people in the world. 
The explanation of the differences between the two ideas dovetails with practically every other book I have read concerning self improvement.
The real root of my unhappiness in life has been the internal conflict between these two ideals.
Conventional wisdom tells us that obedience is being responsible, when in fact they are two totally different concepts. 
Obedience (external motivations) is often times in direct conflict with responsibility (internal motivations).


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## PieceOfSky (Apr 7, 2013)

I've read parts of it in my 20s, many years ago when it came out. By that time I had read a few other of Branden's books, including The Disowned Self and Honoring the Self. Those two books were very eye-opening, and helped me start seeing and feeling that my life mattered too, my hopes and dreams, and that the judgement of my own mind -- and acting on that judgement in a rationally self-interested way -- is a respectable and beautiful thing. Somehow I didn't learn that growing up.


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## Ynot (Aug 26, 2014)

PieceOfSky said:


> I've read parts of it in my 20s, many years ago when it came out. By that time I had read a few other of Branden's books, including The Disowned Self and Honoring the Self. Those two books were very eye-opening, and helped me start seeing and feeling that my life mattered too, my hopes and dreams, and that the judgement of my own mind -- and acting on that judgement in a rationally self-interested way -- is a respectable and beautiful thing. Somehow I didn't learn that growing up.


Me neither. The book has been very enlightening. I am by nature someone who needs to understand something before I can accept. Many self improvement books are based on the ideas that Branden presents in this book. But few of them provide the detail, analyses and explanations that Branden does. 
Interestingly pop books like NMMNG are mainly just Branden's ideas repackaged using non-technical terms. A lot of Wayne Dyer's books are much the same.


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## EnjoliWoman (Jul 2, 2012)

Wow, you two made me want to buy that. Sounds like it would be really useful for codependents, too. I think of myself as responsible. Now I wonder!


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## Ynot (Aug 26, 2014)

EnjoliWoman said:


> Wow, you two made me want to buy that. Sounds like it would be really useful for codependents, too. I think of myself as responsible. Now I wonder!


I highly recommend it. Branden has some exercises that I don't completely agree with. He focuses on sentence completion, which I guess would force one to think about the issues. But if for nothing more than the information, insights and explanations I found the book to be enlightening. It really made me think about my own development and the way I think about myself, life and other things.


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