Coaching Information

How to be Your Authentic Self


Most of us play many different roles in the course of any given day. We could be Mom, Boss, Employee, Student or Friend, to name just a few. Very often we identify ourselves by those roles. When asked, "Who are you/" we say, "I'm a wife and mother", "I am a doctor and amateur photographer". We identify ourselves by how the world sees us, not by who we really are.

Our authentic self is who we really are, deep at the core of our being. Our authentic self is not who the world labels us to be. The authentic self is driven by our individual values and our specific needs.

In order to learn to be our authentic self, we must first discover our authentic self. To discover is to learn of the existence of something. Self-discovery is learning of the existence of our core values and needs.

Discovery is not a one step process. Although there are many "a-ha" moments in discovery, there is a lot of hard work that must be done before and after experiencing those "a-ha" moments in order to incorporate that discovery into our daily lives. Once we say "a-ha" I really value adventure and creativity and I really need support and tenderness, it is time to incorporate those values and needs into our daily lives.

While most of us would date the discovery of penicillin to the early 1940's, the first "a-ha" moment came much earlier. Sir Alexander Fleming discovered that the mold growing on his unwashed culture plates was repelling the bacteria surrounding it in 1928. It was not until 1940 that Ernst B.Chain and Sir Howard Florey first tested penicillin on animals. And it was not until 1941 that pharmaceutical companies in the United States started penicillin production, a long road to the discovery of penicillin.

Self-discovery is also a long road. In truth, we can continue to discover ourselves throughout our lives. But, we have to work at it. We have to look deep into our core to find our inherent values and needs.

Think about what values motivate your daily life. In any community there are shared values. These might be honesty, integrity, respect, and helpfulness. You might share these values with colleagues, friends and family. In addition to these shared values you will have values that are specific to you as an individual.

Your individual values might be, to contribute, to discover, to teach and to create. These values are specific to you and are what propel you to become who you are. You are more likely to be drawn to work in the arts if your core values consist of creativity, originality, discovery and beauty. By the same token, you would be more likely to become a teacher if your core values consist of guiding, inspiring, learning and informing.

The other factor to be considered in becoming our authentic self is the needs that drive us emotionally. We can not be our authentic self without having those needs met.

You might have the need to be empathetic in your relationships, or to experience adventure. Perhaps your need is to be really connected to your family or community. These needs go beyond the shared human needs of food, shelter and safety.

We often confuse wants with needs. To want something is to desire it. We may want a bigger house, newer car or financial independence. We can achieve those desires and still have core needs that are unmet. We have all heard the saying " Money doesn't buy happiness". The truth in that adage is that "money" is an external want not an internal need. When our internal needs are not met, it matters not what external gains we accomplish, we are left un-fulfilled.

If we don't live by our core values we are in essence creating core needs. For instance, if we have discovered that our core values consist of things like, creativity, originality and imagination and yet we work and live in an environment with no room for original thinking and conceptualization, , we are not being our authentic selves. In turn we are creating the unmet needs of creativity, originality and imagination.

So, in order to be our authentic self we must embrace the path of self-discovery. We must look deep within our being and discover our core values and needs. We then must choose our goals and our path in life based on those core values and needs.

Beth Densmore is a Personal Life Coach who offers support, inspiration and motivation to those who are in transition and want to achieve a goal. For more information and more free articles like this, visit her site at http://www.newfocuscoaching.com.


MORE RESOURCES:

USA TODAY (blog)

Coaches Agree; It's a Tough One
New York Times
You are coaching the team that is on offense and is trailing, 17-15. Both teams have one timeout left. What do you instruct your players to do? DAN REEVES Former coach of the Giants, the Broncos and the Falcons “No question, I would use the clock and ...
Patriots players, coach, fans ask 'what if?'Worcester Telegram
Manning, Coughlin hitting stride as Giants' coach-quarterback tandemThe Oshkosh Northwestern
Super Bowl Champion Coach Started Career in WNYWROC-TV
SB Nation -USA TODAY (blog) -Bleacher Report
all 20,202 news articles »


USA TODAY

Charleston coach Cremins says he was physically exhausted
USA TODAY
20, 2011, file photo, Charleston coach Bobby Cremins signals to his players during the first half of their NCAA college basketball game against Louisville, in Louisville, Ky. By Timothy D. Easley, AP In this Dec. 20, 2011, file photo, Charleston coach ...
Cougars' Cremins says physical exhaustion, doctor's advice led him to step ...Washington Post
What does C of C do post-Cremins?Charleston Post Courier
Bobby Cremins: 'Team play has lifted my spirits'Live 5 News

all 47 news articles »


Globe and Mail

Rough day as coaches hit the deck
Winnipeg Free Press
Add coach Lindy Ruff to the list. Ruff sustained three broken ribs in what was described as "a freak accident" after he was upended by defenceman Jordan Leopold in practice on Monday. In revealing the extent of the coach's injuries, ...
Sabres Practice Update: Lindy Ruff Suffers Three Broken Ribs In Practice CollisionDie By The Blade

all 135 news articles »


Bleacher Report

Tampa Bay Bucs Struggle to Assemble Coaching Staff: Fan's Look
Yahoo! Sports
Contributor Network 1 hour, 53 minutes ago Besides prior flirtation with another college coach in Chip Kelly of Oregon, few predicted that the Bucs would target the former head coach of Rutgers University. Indeed, during the lengthy search to replace ...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Still Silent on Assistant Coaching PossibilitiesBleacher Report
Buccaneers Coaching Staff Search: Florida's Dan Quinn Turns Down Job ...SB Nation
Am I Missing Something?The Pewter Plank
National Football Post -Pewter Report -Bucs Nation (blog)
all 29 news articles »


Boston Globe

Belichick: Really enjoyed coaching team
ESPN (blog)
Patriots coach Bill Belichick addressed reporters upon the team's return to Gillette Stadium today, and acknowledged that it was nice to receive a warm welcome from fans. "It was great to see our fans out there, that were here, to be here when the ...
Belichick, Wesleyan '75, Coaching to Make (More) History TonightPatch.com
Belichick is 'real proud' of 2011 Patriots teamCBSSports.com (blog)
Klis: Belichick win gives Lombardi competition for all-time bestDenver Post
National Post
all 90 news articles »


Sports Chat Place

Billy Donovan, John Calipari coaching 'em up on hardwood
Florida Times-Union
AP Florida head coach Billy Donovan calls out a play during the first period against Texas A&M on Dec. 17. Don't miss a second of the action when you're away from your computer. Download our Gators app by searching "Jacksonville.com Gators" in your ...
Calipari and the Cats wary of Florida's 3-point shooting, peaking too earlyCoachCal.com

all 132 news articles »


Deaf swim coach teaching lessons beyond the pool
The Seattle Times
By Sandy Ringer Coach Michael Dobner, who has been deaf since birth, addresses his Kentridge High School swimmers. Interpreter Kim Toffstad, right, often assists. Coach Michael Dobner gets through to his Kentridge High School swimmers using a variety ...

and more »


Bleacher Report

Harbaugh, Coach of the Year, Has 49ers Built for the Long Run
NBC Bay Area
By Doug Williams Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the San Francisco 49ers was voted the NFL's Coach of the Year. The question now is, was Harbaugh's coaching magic a one-time wave of the magic wand, or will that magic have staying power?
NFL Coach of the Year: Ranking the 5 Coaches Who Most Deserve TitleBleacher Report
49ers' Jim Harbaugh wins coaching honorChicago Tribune

all 310 news articles »


San Francisco Chronicle

Raiders hire Jason Tarver as def. coordinator
San Francisco Chronicle
Jason Tarver spent 10 seasons with the 49ers before joining head coach David Shaw's staff at Stanford last year. After reportedly striking out with five other candidates for their defensive-coordinator job, the Raiders turned to a man with a master's ...
Oakland Raiders Take Another Coaching Risk In Hiring Jason Tarver To ...SB Nation
Football: Co-coordinator Tarver leaving to run Raiders' defenseThe Stanford Daily
Tarver hire could mean new defensive scheme in OaklandThoughts from the Dark Side
Silver and Black report -Bleacher Report -Just Blog Baby (blog)
all 157 news articles »


After lots of coaching failures, Bulls got right guy in Tom Thibodeau
Chicago Sun-Times
Thibs was born to be a hoops coach. Take the job away from him, and what would be left? Two lidless eyeballs? A puddle? June 23, 2010. ''We talked to coaches, players, everyone. It was evident Tom was really a fit for us and the philosophy of the ...

and more »

Google News

home | site map
© 2007