What if the real performance edge isn’t tougher discipline, but kind and honest self-talk? Today Coaches Polly & Sam unlock the trap of chasing self-esteem—endless comparison, outcome obsession, and that hollow ego rush that fades the moment you swap it for unshakable self-worth. Drawing on some of Kristen Neff’s Self Compassion research, we share a simple, field-tested framework that turns self worth development into liberation without lowering standards: common humanity to normalize our imperfection, and self-kindness to create the safety needed for honest feedback and empowering action.

You’ll hear how childhood survival strategies—be perfect, be quiet, be agreeable—become adult habits that drain energy, bloat calendars, and keep goals stuck. We unpack why harsh coaching and militant self-criticism look strong but quietly erode resilience, creativity, and risk-taking. Then we model what compassionate rigor sounds like in real life: set the target, tell the truth about the miss, protect your worth, and adjust the plan. Expect clear examples, a few laughs, and practical moves you can try today—like micro-boundaries, decommitting without guilt, and reframing the inner critic as a well-meaning but outdated safety officer.

By the end, you’ll have language and tools to meet mistakes without identity collapse, take braver swings because failure no longer threatens your value, and design environments—teams, friends, coaches—that reinforce shared humanity over posturing. If you’re ready to trade perfection for progress and pressure for presence, press play. If it resonates, subscribe, share this with a friend who needs gentler grit, and leave a quick review to help more people find the show.

-Coach Sam & Coach Polly xoxo

@everydayawesomeproject

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