Know your worth

Too often, we (and I mean me) let others place our value or worth.  We just accept…accept what our parents had as enough, accept the college we can afford, accept that first job offer and the paycheck value placed on that job.  And when mistakes happen or things don’t go as planned, we accept a sense of de-valuing because someone else has determined we are replaceable.

In all honesty, we ARE replaceable.  Every one of us.  There will be someone smarter or better at your job than you are or I am.  There will be someone faster.  There will be someone a little more eager, newer to the industry, or fresh out of college and willing to accept that lower salary. And maybe, there will be someone who might love it just a little more than you do, or I do.  That makes us replaceable in the eyes of someone who puts a dollar figure to your value to a company.

When does it stop? When do we stop accepting the values that other people stipulate?  When do we start valuing ourselves?  I go to work each day, and I come home each evening, and in between I give all I can to the position I hold.  But is it enough? In a lot of cases, unfortunately, my guess is that it is not.  Society teaches to always expect more, and that carries into business.

There comes a point when one person has had enough.  Enough stress, enough disappointment, enough paycheck to paycheck living, enough loss in self-confidence and in one’s abilities.  And in that moment or moments, a shift occurs.  It’s a realization that there is more to “knowing what you’re worth” than the dollars on the paycheck.  Here is what is NOT replaceable:

• Your attitude – your choice on how you approach your day.
• Your work ethics – knowing you did your very best.
• Your knowledge, and sharing that freely with others.
• Your integrity – doing the right thing for the right reasons.
• Your honesty, because you word builds your character, which will precede you.
• Your generosity in helping others.

Be true in how you represent yourself on this list, and you will slowly begin to see your own worth, which is more valuable than any price tag or paycheck.  It will make you humble, and grateful, and the best version of yourself you can be.  It’s never too late for that.