22 March 2015
My Values
This week's blog will be a little different, as we were given a strict structure to follow, so I'll just provide my responses as best I can.
When you think of the times in your life where you've been the happiest, the proudest, or the most satisfied, which of the following values come to mind?
Given a list of values, these were the ones that I felt are the most important to me: accomplishment, affection, close relationships, compassion, creativity, growth, honesty, integrity, leadership, mentorship, meaningful work, peace, serenity.
I would say I try to live up to each of these values every single day. Even as I embark on this new career in the tech world, I would say that at my core, I believe life is about the things that are most basic. Things like love, family, expression, and passions. It's about being true and achieving a higher state of being, where you can see past this material world that we live in, in order to gain a better understanding of the universe and the tiny role we play in it.
Pick one value and write a couple of sentences about why the value you chose is important to you.
I'd say integrity is probably one of the qualities that best defines me. That's not meant to sound like a polished, job interview answer but rather an honest assessment of myself. My integrity drives every decision I make in my daily life. It's a powerful force that determines what I consider wrong and right, and is a direct result of my upbringing. To this day, I don't think I've made any major decision in my life that I felt compromised my integrity.
As an example, when I first graduated from college, after months of searching for a job, I got a job in downtown Washington DC at a large company. I was grateful to have gotten a job and the pay was quite good. A few months in, however, I came in one day and noticed that at lunchtime, half of the office had been let go in a massive, cyclical cleaning of house. Every few quarters, apparently, there were massive layoffs at this company and this was just the norm. Nothing was said about the layoffs to the employees who remained, and the people who had been let go at lunchtime, were never seen again. It was just an accepted part of working at the company. Even though I still had my job, I was disgusted. That day I decided I had to quit, and a few weeks later I did.
What was the last topic that someone asked for your advice on? Did it relate to any of the values you found important?
I think integrity again is the value that comes to mind first. A while back a good friend asked me for relationship advice. He and his partner have been on-and-off for years, but fight constantly. I'm good friends with each of them, but still I told him, I thought he was crazy if he thought things would ever change. Relationships shouldn't be constant fighting, and I said there must be someone else that will make him happier. And I've said the same thing to his partner too when they asked for their own advice.
How do you feel when you think about your values? Do you think it can help you mediate stereotype threat if you recognize you feel it?
I feel good when I think about my values and the person I am. That said, I fully recognize I still have a great deal of improving and growing to do. Life is a journey, as the cliche goes, but I think my confidence in the person I am will serve me well in the face of stereotype threat or any other sort of adversity.
| Prev | Next |