01
Retire the trapping question
Why “How good am I?” keeps confidence fragile, and the better question to ask instead.
A new paradigm for authentic self-esteem
You are not
a scorecard.
“How good am I?” “What is the next right thing to do?”
Hardcover · 162 pages · ArtScroll Series
“The Self-Esteem Trap isn’t another book about feeling good about yourself. It offers an entirely new paradigm for understanding self-esteem.” David J. Lieberman, Ph.D. New York Times bestselling author
The Reframe
Two questions. Two very different lives.
The whole book turns on a single exchange — retiring the question that keeps confidence fragile, and asking the one that sets you free.
The Trap
“How good
am I?”
- Turns every day into a verdict on your worth.
- Rises and falls with success, failure, and comparison.
- Confidence stays fragile, no matter the achievement.
- Judges who you are.
The Path
“What is the next
right thing to do?”
- Turns each moment into a clear, doable step.
- Steadies you when results swing high or low.
- Builds confidence that is durable, not fragile.
- Masters what you do.
Inside the Book
What you will learn.
Concrete, teachable moves — not slogans — drawn from a Torah-based understanding of the self.
02
Separate worth from performance
How to hold your inherent, unearned worth apart from the ups and downs of daily results.
03
Move to the next right action
A practical method for turning self-judgment into a single, doable step you can take now.
04
Step out of comparison
How comparison quietly erodes self-esteem, and how to leave the ranking entirely behind.
“Accept your inherent importance, stop judging who you are, and start mastering what you do.”
Rabbi Aharon Kaufman Rosh Yeshivah, Yeshiva Ateres Shmuel of Waterbury
Endorsements
What readers of standing say.
“The Self-Esteem Trap isn’t another book about feeling good about yourself. It offers an entirely new paradigm for understanding self-esteem.”
David J. Lieberman, Ph.D.New York Times bestselling author“I couldn’t put this book down. Its powerful message is presented with remarkable clarity, simplicity, and originality. A must-read for mechanchim and anyone seeking a happier, more meaningful life.”
Rabbi Shmuel BaronRosh Yeshivah, Imrei Binah“I am confident that readers will find this work thought-provoking and most beneficial, helping them live healthier and more meaningful lives while growing in their avodas Hashem.”
Rabbi Yaakov BenderRosh Yeshivah, Darchei TorahA 2-minute reflection
Are you caught in the trap?
A short, honest diagnostic shows where the scorecard still runs your day — and points to the next right step.
Take the diagnostic
Own the Book
Trade the scorecard for the next right step.
A hardcover you will return to — concise, considered, and built to be practiced, not just read.
$22.49 $24.99 list
- FormatHardcover
- Pages162
- ISBN9781422649534
- ReleasedSeptember 2026
- PublisherArtScroll / Mesorah