A lesson inspired by Neville Goddard’s teachings.
To attempt to change the world before we change our concept of ourselves is to struggle against the nature of things… There can be no outer change until there is first an inner change. As within, so without.
“Out of This World” Chapter 4, Neville Goddard
In the context of the Law and manifesting, your conception of yourself is not merely your self-esteem. Given a conception is an idea, the conception of self is basically your identity, your ideas about yourself. What do you identify with, who do you identify as? Your inner speech, assumptions and manifested results all reveal the identify you hold for yourself.
An effective self-concept to manifest your desire does not simply mean having a good self-esteem. It does not mean loving yourself. All of that is well and good, and it certainly may be helpful in manifesting what you want because when you feel good about yourself, it’s easier to generate the kind of feelings you will have when you get what you want. And that may get you into the state of the wish fulfilled. That said, there are people who have desirable things, things that you currently want yourself, and they don’t have high self-esteem. They may also be ridden with anxiety and fears. Yet they may have a lot of money, a great romantic partner, or perhaps a cool job. Why is this? Because “self-concept” is just another phrase indicating your state of consciousness.
Your consciousness is the cause of your world. The conscious state in which you abide determines the kind of world in which you live. Your present concept of yourself is now objectified as your environment…
Freedom For All, Neville Goddard
The Right Self-Concept for Relationships
You can be in a great relationship and not have great self-esteem simply because you are in a state of being “coupled.” Notice when Neville Goddard instructed people on how to manifest a marriage partner, or when he relates stories of people who did that, they did not focus on their self-esteem at all; rather, their self-concept became “married person.” Neville would tell them to imagine something which indicates they’re married, such as wearing a wedding ring on the finger or sharing a bed with someone. Joseph Murphy, another teacher of the Law, often recommended “prayers” which give thanks for being with someone amazing; this is to move you into the state of being with someone amazing!
Yes, Neville said that there’s essentially “no one to change but self,” and he said to focus on BEING the person you want to be, not on getting the desired thing itself. That’s true, but obviously your sense of self is partly how you relate to others. When you’re in a great relationship, your sense of self is “happily taken person.” You’re being that person internally, and from that viewpoint is how you see everything.
To change another within my world I must first change my concept of that other; and to do it best I change my concept of self. For it was the concept I held of self that made me see others as I did.
No One to Change But Self (lecture), Neville Goddard
The Right Self-Concept for Wealth
What about money? Does every rich person feel deserving? Probably not. Many are born into such circumstance. In contrast, plenty of people feel they deserve money and don’t have much. Why? Because their self-concept is “poor person who deserves more.” They simply are conscious of being poor. To become conscious of being rich, they must imagine themselves as rich and feel it as their norm. Meanwhile, rich people who have low self-esteem simply have a self-concept of being rich, independent of how they feel about themselves. Their self-concept may be “poor little rich girl/boy.”
To understand the “self-concept” as a state you inhabit, you can think of it as a role you’re playing. If you were a movie character, how would your character be described? “The sweet girl who’s unlucky in love” or “the noble hero who suffers?” Don’t play those roles.
It is only by a change of consciousness, by actually changing your concept of yourself, that you can “build more stately mansions” — the manifestations of higher and higher concepts.
Power of Awareness, Neville Goddard
To wrap it up, having a high self-esteem is wonderful. Self-love meditations can be highly beneficial, but they’re not necessarily going to change your state to the state of the wish fulfilled. Ask yourself “What would my identity be if I were or had what I now desire?” and now you’re defining a “self concept” that will help you manifest that new self and everything it implies.