Whether this being different results in dissimulation or a real change of heart, it cannot be realized without self-awareness. They have turned away from an unwanted self and, hence, never had a good look at it. The result is that most dissatisfied people can neither dissimulate nor attain a real change of heart. It is the lack of self-awareness which renders us transparent. The soul that knows itself is opaque.
Fear comes from uncertainty.
When we ate absolutely certain, whether of our worth or our worthlessness, we ate almost impervious to fear. Thus, a feeling of utter unworthiness can be a source of courage. Pride is a sense of worth derived from something that is not organically part of us, while self-esteem is derived from the potentialities and achievements of self. We are proud when we identify ourselves with an imaginary self, a leader, a holy cause, a collective body or possessions. The less promise and potentiality in the self, the more imperative is the need for pride.