core value

Core Values Essay

Student XXXXX

Core Values Essay

The Big Three: Resilience, Humility, and Hard Work

[INTRODUCTION] Core values are ultimately what make up every decision in life. Without core values we make decisions based off temporary emotions and chasing the next high. Our core values shape our goals, how we treat people, and how we carry ourselves. Values aren’t something everyone consciously thinks about, but we should all be more self-aware when it comes to this. The more aware we are to our values, the more we can differentiate what we care about. The core values I strive for daily are resilience, humility, and hard work.

[BODY PARAGRAPH 1-CORE VALUE #1] Resilience, one of my primary core values, is something I developed after facing much adversity. It is the ability to bounce back quickly after facing adversity, and In life, we all make mistakes or go through challenging times. We all get rejected, lose, or become disappointed some times. I know some people who will let their troubles define them and effect their confidence. Their response to the adversity causes them to miss so many other opportunities simply due to a negative attitude. My parents died when I was young, and I went into the foster care system, where I was dealt disappointment after disappointment. I used to feel angry and put the blame on others for all of my hardships. Being angry and upset did nothing for me except push me further from my goals. That is why I believe in resilience. If you are able to quickly get back up and keep moving forward then there is nothing stopping you in life. I survived the foster care system, and now I am thriving.

[BODY PARAGRAPH 2- CORE VALUE #2] Humility is another core value I strive to live by, and I developed this core value after I found myself thinking I was always right one too many times. I believe being humble is having confidence yet still accepting we have more to learn. We aren’t better or below anyone else. Valuing humbleness has allowed me to better accept constructed criticism. One time when training someone new at work, the trainee had corrected me. I immediately thought I was right and he was wrong because he was the trainee. We looked further into the sources we had and he was correct. I immediately felt bad for doubting him and for valuing my knowledge over his. It was a humbling experience for me and we both learned more. I know I always have more to learn. There will always be someone else who knows more or is more talented. If we accept that we know very little overall, we will be more open to others input and ideas. Being humble is important in relationships and in the professional world.

[BODY PARAGRAPH 3- CORE VALUE #3] Hard work is my favorite core value, and I have developed it over years of working hard—and also being very lazy. Now, at the end of every day, I ask myself how I could have worked harder. If you're working hard then you are constantly growing as a person. If you have something worth working towards then you should put everything you can into it. When I was in middle school, I started playing basketball. I was never very good at basketball but I worked hard to be better. It came natural to some on the team but I was never very athletic. Every day I would go home, run, and practice dribbling on our dirt road. I worked so hard and everyone could see it. Towards the end of the season my coach finally put me in. I scored twice in that game and I was happier than ever. It meant more to me that I had scored those two baskets than the girls who were scoring twenty per game. The hard work I put towards it gave me a sense of pride. Even if I don’t always accomplish amazing things or always win or even recognized, the satisfaction of knowing I put the work in for it is enough. Have you ever won something and thought “wow I really didn’t deserve that?” I never want to feel like that. I know I work hard every single day and deserve the good things I get.

[CONCLUSION] I have had low points in my life where I wasn’t living based off of my values. It is always very chaotic and messy. Having values gives you a sense of purpose. Values are something you can constantly strive for and never achieve because there is no end goal. Values mold our everyday life and every single decision. I could wake up one day and choose to not work hard, or choose to feel bad for myself, but instead I wake up and choose my values. I have learned a lack of values causes me to do things I would never think of doing. I would do or say something and think to myself “that was out of character for me, that’s not who I am”. That’s why I attempt to be more self-aware of my values. I strive every day to uphold resilience, humbleness, and hard work.