When we don’t know, deny or doubt our value ...

... we prevent people from experiencing our thoughts, ideas and purpose.

Many of us spend so much time - err, waste so much time - in cycles of doubt and denial of our own ingenuity.

⏹ When we say ‘I’m not creative’, we're in denial and doubt of our value.

⏹ When we say ‘It’s not very good’, that's denial and doubt too.

⏹ And when we dismiss an idea before we’ve even spoken it or shared it, that's another negative hit to our value.

So let's zip it. Ssshhh!

In workshops and sessions with teams, I’m often saddened at the number of people who openly dismiss their own work and ideas ... usually just before they’re about to present them! 'This isn't very good', or 'This is a crappy idea' - hey, no more of this stuff, ok?

Hold off on verbally denying the value in your thinking or ideas.

If you think your stuff is worth less, who’s likely to think it’s worth more? 

Knowing what you are worth

Do you accept or reject your worth?

I was reading how 'value’ is from French, Latin descent meaning ‘to be worth'.

When mentoring people 1:1 and working with teams in organisations, this is a theme I see many of our issues and challenges originating from. And this worth or value isn't just price, salary, bonus or other monetary value.

It’s about what you believe your time is worth, your ideas and contributions, what your skills and services are worth, your talents and expertise, what your involvement and commitment are worth.

Have you ever felt resentful when you’ve given so much yet received little in return?

Or the reverse ... where you received a lot and didn’t have to give much at all!

How often do we focus on what value we are giving ... and getting?

A leader recently gave her team permission to leave any meeting if its not making use of their time or the expertise they have.

The value equation is one we need to understand better and apply in our own world. We have much to value in ourselves. It’s that we don’t know it, deny or doubt it and this holds us in the ‘worth less’ zone.