Theme of the Week: Seperate Value From Performance
Brother,
Earlier this week, we explored one of the most important lessons I learned throughout my athletic career: your value is not created by your performance.
While we should always strive to improve, pursue excellence, and take pride in our work, we should never allow one moment, one outcome, or one mistake to determine how we see ourselves.
For this week's Feeling Friday, I want to leave you with two simple exercises that help put this lesson into practice. They are designed to challenge the tendency many of us have to tie our identity to what we achieve, and instead help us reconnect with who we are beyond our performance.
Exercise 1: "What Actually Changed?"
The next time something doesn't go your way; a poor game, a mistake at work, a disappointing grade, or a goal you didn't achieve, ask yourself:
What actually changed because of this?
Did this mistake change who I am as a person?
Would the people who genuinely love and care about me value me any less because of this?
Will this still matter one month or one year from now?
Purpose: This exercise helps separate the event from your identity. Often, you'll realize that while the outcome may not have been what you hoped for, your character, your relationships, and your worth remain exactly the same.
Exercise 2: "Who Am I?"
Take five minutes this weekend and write down five statements that begin with:
I am...
The only rule is that none of your answers can describe an achievement, career, sport, title, appearance, income, or accomplishment. Instead, describe the qualities that make you who you are.
For example:
I am resilient.
I am compassionate.
I am dependable.
I am curious.
I am kind.
Purpose: This exercise reminds us that our identity is built on our character - not our resume, our statistics, or our accomplishments.
One of the greatest gifts Stoicism offers us is the ability to separate what we do from who we are.
We are encouraged to pursue excellence with discipline and humility while recognizing that our value has never depended on the outcome. Continue working hard, continue chasing your goals, but never forget that your worth existed long before your greatest success and will remain long after your greatest setback.
Take that with you into the weekend.
Stay strong, even when you are not. It's okay, you are not alone.
With love always,
Michael Argyrides
Founder - Path to Becoming
