For more than a quarter of a century self-esteem increasingly has been viewed as the magic key to success and happiness. Earned self-esteem is based on learning to tolerate frustration and delay, to care for others, to work hard, and to persevere in the face of obstacles. These tasks of developing relationships and competencies enable one to stretch, to grow, and to reach for excellence. The Triple-Helix Role Model of Development is a model which construes self-esteem as the energizer and director of roles people choose to play at various times in their lives and the commitment that is brought to these roles. The three most important roles in the lives of most adults (family, work, self-development) are represented by the three helixes. The helixes have the capability of interweaving in varied patterns and formations, interacting or combining at different points in time and space, working alone or influencing others. Fused to each helix is a strand of the esteem nucleus in which all three helixes are grounded. The triple-role approach to self-esteem provides a way in which teachers can take charge themselves and develop this dimension which has been forgotten and neglected by everyone. If teachers lead the way, perhaps researchers, parents, students, administrators, and society in general will do an about-face and begin to recognize the tremendous contributions which teachers make. (LLL)