Initiate little acts of kindness for others.

Similarly, an opposite action would end up in a withdrawal from your PBA: Small deposits over a period of time will make you rich.įollowing is a list of some initial yet meaningful deposits you can make to build your PBA. This will eventually win back your confidence. Just start making small deposits right away. If your current personal bank account is low, don’t worry about it.

You are happy for the successes of others.

You see life as a generally positive experience.

You’re not overly concerned about being popular.

You stand up for yourself and resist peer pressure.

You get jealous easily, especially when someone close to you succeeds.

You self-destruct by getting heavily into drugs, pornography, vandalism, etc.

You act arrogantly to hide your insecurities.

You’re overly concerned about what others think of you.

You wrestle with feelings of depression and inferiority.

So, are you ready to evaluate your PBA, just to check, if you are loaded or bankrupt? Following are some signs, according to Sean Covey, of both conditions (sounds like a disease). Later, you try to defend your wrong behaviour through excuses and justifications that nag you from the inside and make you miserable on the outside. On the contrary, if you break a promise or stand someone up, it’s a withdrawal because you feel disappointed. It boosts your self-esteem and you feel in control of your life. Why? Because it makes you feel good inside and happy outside.

For instance, when you honour a commitment or keep a promise, it becomes an instant deposit into your PBA. Just as you can deposit and withdraw from your personal bank account (PBA), you can similarly do so with the stuff you think about, act upon or do to others – they, too, impact your PBA. We will be looking at some ways to build self-confidence and a strong character that will help you embrace the first three habits of highly effective teens, as suggested by Sean Covey. Actually, we are discussing something even more priceless and invaluable.

You might be thinking that we are talking of your bank balance or your jewels in the locker.

The 7 habits of highly successful teens