The way we live our lives, is an accurate depiction of who we are. Whether it is negative, positive, or somewhere in between, we are all going through this life with a certain set of values and morals. My father once told me that every situation you are in, is a test of who you truly are. I have held onto that still to this day, with just about everything that I do. He has taught me all sorts of wisdom over the years, that has helped me grow as an adult. That being said, I have been raised in an old fashion style of living, with respect and manner full to my elders/superiors. That is something that a lot of the younger generation has lost over the years. In Jeffery’s (n.d.) 200 values list, I have found the following five core values that I have lived with my entire life: leadership, integrity, ambition, determination, and empathy. I believe these are good foundations for someone aspiring to own their own business and continue to be an entrepreneur.
The value of leadership has been something that I just sort of obtained whilst growing up. All my cousins and friends would do what I would do, young and older than me. I was the captain of the football team and basketball team for my superior level of leadership. Once I began working in an industry such as the oilfield, I rose up the ranks quickly. By the time I was 20 years old, I was already a foreman running my own crew. We were building tank batteries, which entail all the lines and tanks from the well head after a drilling rig leaves location. It was a demanding task; however I was voted as best production foreman six months in a row. It was hard at first, since the older workers didn’t want to listen to such a younger person, but they managed to come to terms with it.
Integrity is something that comes along with being a leader as well. Doing the right thing no matter what, even if no body is watching is the best way to go about life. I cannot just walk by something that needs to be done. If it needs done, I am going to get it done. With that being said, it goes along great with my peers as well. They find a level of gratitude, knowing that they are going to be well taken care of while I am in the area. However, I have been taken advantage of numerous times due to this. It also helps my spouse know that everything I tell her is the truth. If I did anything wrong, it would convict me to the point to where I had to get it off my chest. Which is another great value to have, conviction.
Ambition is something that has been ingrained with me since day one as well. I remember being 9 years old, getting my first job as a paper delivery boy. While on the side, I would sell hot wheels cars and sports cards to my friends. That was the beginning of my ambitious behavior. I began looking for new ways to become a better person, or to be an inventor. I remember also taking things a part just to understand how they would work, and then put them back together. All of this was while I was still young, and though I lost it for a few years, I still have it now stronger than ever.
Determination can fit into all categories of life. Without having a level of determination to successfully complete the tasks at hand, or our goals, we can find ourselves slipping into a downward slope. When I set my mind to something, I am going to get it done, without hesitation. It may take some time, but eventually I will obtain what I have set forth. As in when my mother passed away, I began going down that downward spiral, in which I pulled myself out of after some terrible experiences. In boxing, mixed martial arts, disc golf, college, owning a business, being a states councilman, and managing a boxing gym have all been done through a level of determination.
Empathy is something that I wish a lot of people could learn in a short amount of time. The last four values may make me out to be a self-centered individual, that is only looking for my own lifestyle gain. However, the reason I work so hard is because I want to give my family a life that I never had. It all comes down to one act of random kindness a day or opening my time to listen in on someone that needs some help. I am living proof that you can get to rock bottom; multiple times, and come out of it prosperous. That is why I strive to help our youth in my community, so that I can show them what life is about, from someone that has been down that road. Caring for others is something that makes me happy, and without that, my happiness would dwindle.
The five core values are only a few of the values that I live for each day. With the list continuing for quite some time, it would take too long to explain each one. These are all good for my spiritual wellness, because I give all thanks to my higher power. I know that I had to go through the incidents that I did, in order to use the values more and more each day. My spiritual wellness is based around these values, which in turn help my physical, emotional, and psychological well-being.
In conclusion, leadership, integrity, ambition, determination, and empathy are some of my main core values that I strive for each day. Each one of them fit together in this puzzle of a life I am living currently. Furthermore, I know I wouldn’t be where I am without these five core values. I have lived, I have lost, and I have been beat down multiple times. However, I pick myself back up, find what went wrong and I fix it. You must pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and continue to push forward in order to be better than you were yesterday.
-Cyral I Callender III
References:
Jeffrey, S. (n.d.). Core Values List: Over 200 Personal Values to Discover What’s Most Important to You. Retrieved from: https://scottjeffrey.com/core-values-list/.
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