Your self image holds the master key to your success. No matter what level of success you attain 'outwardly' in your life, your life will, ultimately, only ever grow to the extent that you do or, more specifically, the extent that your self image does.

There is a quote by Dr. Maxwell Maltz that is worth taking note of here - "Our self image and our habits tend to go together. Change one and you will automatically change the other." Take a minute to think about that, and also to consider your self image and your habits.

Look at your soul in a mirror. How does your self image look when it is reflected back to you? Do you radiate with inner confidence or does the mirror reflect a rather more tarnished and murky version of the 'beautiful inner you'? Would you even dare to look in the mirror? What does your reflection say about you?

Our self image is what makes us behave 'like us'. As such, the habits we adopt, and the way we 'see' ourselves in our life, are a direct result of our self image and the way that our self image views ourselves. They are absolutely connected in every way, shape and form.

As you achieve success, wealth, or 'status' in your life, if your self image gets left behind, eventually it will press the master 're-set' button on your life, and you will find yourself sliding backwards, sometimes at an
alarming rate. In some instances, full on self-implosion is the unfortunate consequence.

It comes down to the fundamental issue of 'derservability'. Does the self image believe that we deserve to have all this fame/beauty/wealth/ fill-in-the-blank? If not, you will not stay there, because the self image, like all of us, has a very comfortable comfort zone.

If the self image asks "Is this really me?", and the answer comes back "No", the self image starts to feel out of control and will change or modify our behaviors to get us back firmly within the boundaries of our comfort zone.

Bear in mind also that you can't fool your self image. Lying to yourself, and trying to make yourself believe that you're something that you're not will never work in the long run. You have to be honest with yourself at all times.

Note here that self image has nothing to do with 'ego', which is on the 'outside' and is bolstered up by 'outside' events, such as praise or adulation from the outside world. Your self image is the praise or adulation that you give yourself. It is the self-talk that goes on within your mind, the images you reflect outward from within.

So, to summarize, our thoughts, habits and actions may be what get us to the level that we want to be in our life but it is the self image that keeps us there. Therefore, if you want to achieve long lasting success, give your self image the time and attention that it deserves.