What is a self image? A self image is a mental blueprint on how you visualize yourself in the world.  How you see yourself as a person. It influences all your actions, feelings and behaviors.  It is one of, if not the most, important mental image we constructed in our brains.  It is formed by us when we are young and sticks with us throughout our lives.  It influences everything we do, either in a positive or negative way.  Not only is it important for anyone on this path to understand their self image,  but they also must be able to manage it and often times modify it.  A healthy self image is the source of confidence and power for the Mental Ninja and is the foundation for achieving the Correct Mind.
How do we construct this self image?  Your self image has already been created and was created by you.  It was created when you were very young based on past experiences (either successes or failures, humiliations or triumphs) and the reactions other people had to them.  Your self image was strongly influenced by authoritative people, intense life experiences and repetition.
Only a person with a healthy and confident self image can begin his journey to becoming a Mental Ninja.  Having a healthy self image means that you are not ashamed to be you and have accepted yourself as you are.  You understand your own strengths and weaknesses.
An intact self image liberates you because it makes you feel good about yourself, and frees your sense of expression and creativity.  Those who don’t have an intact or healthy self-image often feel insecure, threatened or anxious.  They have not accepted themselves for who they are and therefore do not feel free to express themselves. They feel ashamed, less confident and negative.  They subsequently will never be able to achieve their full potential because they are held back by their own insecurities.
It is important to realize, that WE are in control of our own self image and WE have the ability to modify it to achieve our goals.  We can go from being less confident and ashamed to confident and secure by changing the construct we created.
Becoming aware of self, understanding it, and developing an intact self image, are the first steps for the Mental Ninja.