Self-esteem is a scam.

The concept itself is from the psychobabble of the 60s and 70s and it's no coincidence that it emerged during the final death throes of the gold-exchange standard.

When you are no longer pushing the frontier, you look inward and try to convince yourself that you're doing something useful when you aren't. It's delusion that's necessary for rent-seekers because deep down, they know they're leeches.

Don't focus on esteeming yourself when you don't deserve it. Do something worthy of esteem instead.