There was a time in my life when a huge portion of my self-validation was influenced by people-validation. I sought the approval of others to feel good about what I had accomplished and who I was. I allowed others to determine my worth while I unconsciously undermined my accomplishments and value.
One day, I sat down and made a list. In that list I documented all the projects and responsibilities that I had undertaken throughout my career.
The results shocked me!
Over the 6 years of my career, I had undertaken over 30 projects, most of which I led and a couple of which were my brainchild. That list also emphasized that I always demonstrated a willingness to undertake and execute roles and projects that were outside the realm of my responsibilities. Through that attitude, I gained a lot of experiences in areas that persons would deem me too young to have in the professional world. The problem is, many, including myself, still undervalued or underestimated me.
My Red Shoe Movement (company dedicated to the career and leadership development of women) ladies had a discussion about promoting self-commendation. During this talk, it connected for me that we will never be effective at self-commendation until we learn and practice effective self-validation. If we never have the true sense and metrics of our worth, we will always sell ourselves short. Because the truth is, people, including you, will always value you at the worth you allow them to define. This applies in your professional and personal lives.
No matter where you are in life, you are valuable. So tell me, what is your worth?
