Very great post.
I was also reading about locus of control. How people who have internal locus of control are better in life because they believe they can make changes in their life rather than external locus of control.
I struggled with low self-esteem during my life until I went to therapy and realized I am in control of my thoughts and action. I have good self-esteem and have noticed I can make changes to my external world to get what I want, I just need the goals and a good mindset to achieve them.
Also, with the low self-esteem part, I thought I took criticism well. But I realized after my therapy that I wasn't. When I had low self-esteem, I believed I was right and they were wrong, and I had science to back me up. Now, I agree with someone criticism and acknowledge that "Yes, I could be wrong." I could see how someone could turn their low self-esteem into someone else problem. Meaning it isn't me that I will fail, it is because someone else made a mistake. I rationalized my low self-esteem and I could see how someone would see that as good self-esteem.
Thought I mentioned a point of view. Great post.