As we head into the summer, June tends to be a time of pride — not only because it is pride month, but because people tend to be transitioning into new phases of life, whether it be completing the school year, graduating, or starting a new chapter. You might think of how proud you are of your family, friends, relatives, or colleagues, and they may even tell you how proud they are of you! But how often do you actually stop and reflect on how proud you are of yourself?  

So take some time right now! What are three things that you are proud of? Actually, stop and think about it…

How easily were you able to come up with responses? Did it come naturally to you? Did it feel a little off? When I initially tried this exercise, I was surprised at how difficult I found it. I was easily able to name accomplishments right off the bat. For example, I am proud that I just completed a Master’s degree, but as I was thinking about it, I started to realize it is not necessarily the degree that I am proud of, but rather what it symbolizes to me personally. If you had told my younger self that I’d have an M.A. in Leadership growing up, I probably would not have believed you. Over the years, I have refined what it means to be a leader and now have a degree that allows me to help develop that capability in others. Not only does this bring me immense joy, but it brings me immense pride, far more than the degree itself. 

Now think back on your list! What makes you proud about the things that you said? By digging a little deeper, we can unpack our achievements, successes, and resiliency. The Golden Circle, developed by Simon Sinek, serves as an insightful tool to reflect. The model suggests that the most successful people, leaders, and teams do not just know what they do or how they do it; they know why they do it. This can help us as leaders find more genuine and authentic pride for the things we have done, the things we are doing, and the things we will continue to do. Watch this video on the Golden Circle here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dAaWweraQ4 

The Golden Circle suggests that rather than focusing on what we do, or what we did — which may be where our initial pride responses stemmed from–we must dig deeper. We need to start questioning how we do, or did, these things. Certainly, pride can stem from the ‘how,’ but we need to look a little deeper to find true pride. We need to start questioning our ‘why’. Why did we do it, or why are you doing it? By doing so, we can tap into our purpose. When we think about pride in this manner, we not only take pride in what we did or how we did it, but why we did it. This can harness our authentic power moving forward. Rather than just running through the motions, we can remember why we are doing it and why it, whatever action it may be, makes us proud for the future.

*Meet the Author*

Caroline has been with Leadership Inspirations for 3 years. She is currently pursuing a Masters in Leadership Development and holds B.A’s in Psychology and Integrated Educational Studies.

Favorite Quote: “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make” – Jane Goodall

Fun Facts: 1) I’m from Seattle 2) I LOVE Golden Retrievers 3) I have celebrated Holi in India