What are your words worth?
Rich Simmons
Vice President of Product Management | Product Strategy, Innovation Innovative Leader in Product Strategy and Organizational Success
We’ve all been there, listening intently to a speaker at a seminar when out of nowhere, a simple keyword or sentence is spoken that hits home emotionally. Almost immediately a carousel of memories begins to rotate through our brains. Not all motivational speakers, or their quotes, make an impact but there are those key nuggets that can set our lives on a different course, if even for a minute. There are quotes from historic figures and celebrities everywhere we turn but sometimes it is simply a casual conversation with someone close that can inspire us to think about who we are.
I think back to a course I attended several years ago in which one of the speakers was a very seasoned Senior Executive for many Fortune 10-50 size companies and was, at that time the CIO of a Federal Agency. His career was very long and distinguished yet his demeanor was that of a very humble grandfather type. He spoke of many of his experiences and although it was extremely captivating, it wasn’t until I heard the phrase “Never put your sense of self-worth into something someone can take away from you!” did I “feel” his message. Never put your sense of SELF WORTH INTO SOMETHING SOMEONE CAN TAKE AWAY FROM YOU!?!?! Wow! Many of us have been brought up to chase “success”, which is not a horrible goal, but when success is translated into material possession or financial worth, we tend to lose site of why we set our goals and aspirations in the first place.
I have a very good friend and mentor that opens every speech with “Who I work for” and inevitably everyone assumes he means the company in which he spends most of his time. The next click of the slide shows a picture of his entire family! He then exclaims, “This is who I work FOR!” You would think simply based on that statement alone, he has a great sense of self-worth but it’s not until he dives deep into his presentation on his family history do you realize what that really means. He has been fortunate enough to do a tremendous amount of work on his family history, tracing back several generations, in which he uncovered documents describing his ancestors’ value, as enslaved people. When you see a document demonstrating someone’s monetary value, it puts the term Self-Worth into a totally different perspective.
Author Viktor Fankl penned a book named “Man’s Search for Meaning” in which he details his existence in a Nazi Concentration Camp as a prisoner. I don’t think any combination of words can paint the picture of the gruesome treatment suffered by the prisoners and although every worldly possession, freedom, and bit of dignity had been taken away from them, the one thing Frankl owned was his self-worth.
We can all get caught up in our day-to-day tasks and lose sight of the bigger picture from time to time, I believe that to be natural in terms of societal “norms”, but if we carry with us a true sense of self-worth, we will always come back to center.
领英推荐
There are three guidelines I attempt to keep top of mind in reminding me of my own self-worth are:
1.??????Your life has meaning, ensure you strive every day to find it!
2.??????If you are stuck, not moving forward, use Paradoxical Intentions to address your fears
3.??????Sometimes the best way to “win” is to surrender! Never sacrifice your values but always challenge whether to surrender your approach.
Identity Management and Systems Integration Specialist
2 年One could arguably turn this on its head and look from the employer's side - employees don't work FOR them, rather they participate in a transaction where they perform tasks and are compensated for that. They don't work FOR the company. There was a time where there was some sort of "social contract" between the employer and the employee. There was an incentive to actually work FOR the company because companies would offer things like pension plans. Now it is much more transactional, and the idea of "loyalty" is laughable. I am not arguing for one or the other, just making an observation. The jury is still out if the "401K" model will allow new generations to go into retirement the same way their parents and grandparents did,
Chief Technology Officer at Star Asset Security/ION247, LLC a Pavion Company
2 年Thanks for bringing me back to those talks, these words are so true.
Professional Development through proven ??? Strategies | Host of ‘Blessed Are the Pour’ Podcast
2 年This was an excellent read and reminder. It’s funny how those “nuggets” in speeches or with friends can engage you on such a deeper personal level. I had a friend casually remind me recently of some of the biblical characteristics of love, and it completely opened my eyes to WHY I feel how I feel about my best friend. I meditated on it for a few days before I spilled the beans ??. Regardless the outcome, my self worth isn’t wrapped up in another’s response. Very well put Rich Simmons