Oh, self-esteem, what a sham you are!

The concept seems simple enough. Think highly of yourself, and you'll feel fantastic! But wait, when you have low self-esteem, you feel terrible. So, it must be that thinking highly of yourself is the key to happiness! But hold on, because this logic is just plain absurd. Yet, we've been bombarded with this pop-psych gibberish for over 50 years, so it's no wonder people have bought into it.

Here's the truth: if you're feeling crummy about yourself, it's probably because your conscience is giving you a reality check. You've messed up, and deep down, you know you don't deserve to feel all warm and fuzzy.

But the self-esteem fanatics insist: cut yourself some slack, relax, forgive yourself. What a crock!

When you've done something wrong, pretending you're a saint won't fix anything. In fact, it'll just make everything worse. You'll end up suppressing your conscience, and that requires some heavy-duty anesthesia. You'll find yourself drowning that pesky inner voice with addictions, anything from hard drugs to workaholism. But the truth remains: you can't ignore that voice forever.

So, let's call self-esteem what it really is: self-delusion. You should feel good about yourself when you are, in fact, a good person. And you become a good person through good deeds. Someone scamming others shouldn't be strutting around like they're on top of the world.

So, let's kick the self-esteem charade to the curb and embrace a new mantra: actions speak louder than words. Forget about coddling yourself with empty platitudes, and focus on being the best version of yourself through meaningful actions. Strive for character, virtue, and self-reflection built on a foundation of doing, not feeling. Say goodbye to the self-esteem hoax and say hello to a life built on real accomplishments.

Your conscience will thank you.