My experience is that most people underestimate their power to change and grow. They believe implicitly that yesterday's pattern must be tomorrow's. They do not see choices that -- objectively -- do exist. They rarely appreciate how much they can do on their own behalf if genuine growth and higher self-esteem are their goals and if they are willing to take responsibility for their own lives. The belief that they are powerless becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
This book, ultimately, is a call to action. It is, I now realize, an amplification in psychological terms of the battle cry of my youth: A self is to be actualized and celebrated -- not aborted and renounced. This book is addressed to all men and women who wish to participate actively in the process of their evolution -- as well as to psychologists, parents, teachers, and those responsible for the culture of organizations. It is a book about what is possible.
~ Nathaniel Branden, The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem
