Self-esteem is made up of the thoughts and beliefs we hold about ourselves, but our self-worth transcends those things. It’s the recognition that we are greater than the sum of our parts, the knowledge that we have intrinsic value that cannot be measured.

One theory of self-worth is that our life goal is to reach a point of self-acceptance. In reality, we often pursue this through achievements, which can mean competing with others and evaluating ourselves based on things like appearance, net worth, social standing and job status.

There are so many misconceptions about self-worth that it’s easier to identify the things that should not determine your value. For a start, we all know that accomplishments feel great – but they have no relationship to your worth as a human being.

Believe it or not, your job has no impact on your self-worth. It’s irrelevant. The only thing about it that matters is that you feel invested in it and that it fulfills you.

It can be tempting to think that the number of followers, likes or shares you’ve collected online reflects your value. They don’t. Connecting with a variety of perspectives can be a worthwhile endeavor, but ultimately what other people think has no impact on your innate worth.

It’s natural for certain expectations to be associated with whatever age you happen to be, but never assume that you’re too old or too young to do anything. The number of years you’ve been alive has no connection to your worth as a person.

Whether you’re single, dating or in a long-term relationship, your value remains the same regardless. However, while another person’s love does not define us, cultivating a healthy sense of self-worth can only benefit whatever relationships we do have.

Despite what society may tell us, the amount of money we have (or lack) makes no difference to our value. Whether you’ve got enough to survive, or whether you’re set for life, the maximum self-worth you can extract from money is zero.

The list of things that don’t define your worth is endless. Your likes and dislikes, your friendships, your strengths and weakness, your grades, your wardrobe, your reputation – it’s all separate and has no bearing on the fundamental core of your being.

We can all get caught up in chasing external goals. But it’s a mistake to think that they’re a measure of us. All that really matters in defining your worth is kindness, compassion, respect and empathy for others, and how you treat the people around you.