Wednesday Wisdom
WEDNESDAY WISDOM: YOUR WORTH IS NOT UP FOR REVIEW
“I will realize my own worth when I accept I am the most valuable thing that I have in life.”— Iyanla Vanzant
As we move deeper into the fourth quarter, many of us are surrounded by reviews, results, deadlines, expectations, and year-end goals...
All of those things may measure aspects of our performance.
But they do not determine our worth.
Pause here for a moment.
-Take a deep breath in…Exhale slowly…
-Again…
-Deep breath in…Exhale slowly…
Now ask yourself:
What have I been using lately to measure my worth?
-My title?
-My productivity?
-My income?
-Someone else’s approval?
-A performance review?
-How much I accomplish—or how much I do for everyone else?
Research on self-worth reminds us that when our value becomes overly dependent on external achievement, approval, or circumstances, that sense of worth can become fragile and reactive. (Psychology Today)
From a coaching perspective, awareness creates choice.
As a PCC, I don’t see self-reflection as an invitation to ignore accountability or performance. Quite the opposite. When we can separate who we are from how we performed, we create room to receive feedback, learn, make intentional choices, and grow—without making every success or setback a verdict on our value.
So, consider:
Who are you when the title, accomplishments, and applause are removed?
Where might you be asking achievement to prove something about you that was never yours to prove?
What would change if you entered the rest of this quarter knowing your worth instead of working to earn it?
For Leaders:
Take this conversation to your teams. Ask:
What helps you feel valued here beyond what you produce?
Then listen—not to respond, defend, or fix—but to understand.
Trust grows when people experience an environment where they can speak candidly and know that their perspectives and contributions matter. (Harvard Business Review)
As we build on September’s TRUST and move deeper into October’s theme of WORTH, remember:
Your goals matter... Your commitments matter... Your character matters... Your growth matters.
And... your worth was never supposed to be another item on your performance review.
Honor it. Protect it. And create space for others to recognize theirs.
You can evaluate your performance without putting your worth on trial.
You got this!
Coach Tavia, PCC, MEd, MAT
References
International Coaching Federation — 2025 ICF Core Competencies Explore the current ICF Core Competencies
Psychology Today — Self-Esteem Read: Self-Esteem and Self-Worth
Psychology Today — Why Confidence Doesn’t Always Reflect True Self-Worth Read about authentic and contingent self-worth
Harvard Business Review — What People Get Wrong About Psychological Safety Read the HBR article
#WednesdayWisdom #KnowYourWorth #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveCoaching #SelfAwareness #Trust #PsychologicalSafety #ProfessionalGrowth #ICFCoaching #EMpowerCoaching
Tavia Robinson
EMPOWER COACHING & CONSULTING, LLC
732.743.5012
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