Mistakes and setbacks are temporary detours on the road to their goals. They bounce back after disappointments, map a new route to their objectives and concentrate on the next project with undiminished enthusiasm. On the other hand, people with low self-esteem habitually retreat after suffering a few bruises or a defeat. They tend to blame other people and circumstances for their failures, instead of attributing them to defective judgment or other shortcomings. Because they don't realistically appraise situations and learn from what goes wrong, they're apt to repeat mistakes.
Confident people welcome challenges and changes.
That's why they immediately pursue another objective after attaining an important goal. They delight in overcoming difficulties, managing to transform problems into challenges. Those who lack confidence, however, let their fears stand between them and their ambitions. They resist change because it threatens their sense of security. People with high self-esteem compete only with themselves.