I still remember the day I walked into Taj Bengal, Kolkata in 1993. We had won a big contract and our boss took us out for lunch to celebrate. As I walked into the hotel’s grand lobby, I was both wide-eyed and panic-stricken. Thoughts raced through my mind: “Am I shabbily dressed? Do I even belong in such a luxurious place?” My self-worth felt fragile in that moment.
In contrast, my colleague from a similar middle class background walked in with complete ease. He simply enjoyed the experience. When I reflect today, I realize that his source of self-worth was completely different from mine.
Self-worth is the feeling of being valuable and deserving of respect for being who you are. We draw our self-worth from different sources; it varies widely from person to person.
In a poll that I concluded this week, I was so happy to see that 89% drew their self-worth from internal elements: relationships, personal interests and intrinsic qualities.
This is a great news as our primary source of self-worth influences our choices and behaviors. When our self-worth is internally driven, it helps us
Tackle challenges and bounce back from setbacks.
Adjust to big changes in life like loss of job, retirement etc.
Form supportive and genuine relationships.
Stay emotionally healthy.
Continuously improve and grow.
While I still draw some self-worth from my professional achievements, it is no longer my primary source of self-worth. I have evolved other sources over the years.
What about you? Would love to hear your anecdotes of self-worth.
At the outset, I would like to thank you for stopping by my Blog.
I believe that there is nothing right or wrong in this world. What’s right in this moment and context may be wrong in another moment and context. This belief has inspired me to name my blog ‘Perspectives’.
Perspectives is a platform for me to share my experiences, thoughts and perspectives on various subjects. You may have a different point of view. I look forward to hearing them, these are the triggers for rich and deep conversations.
On personal front, I live in Mumbai, India. I love to read; Somerset Maugham and Nevil Shute are my favorite authors. My favorite books are The Razor’s Edge, Mrs. Craddock, Chequer Board and Gone with the Wind. I am thankful to my father who inculcated the habit of reading in me early on.
I am also passionate about traveling, I have been to most parts of India and to several countries across the globe.
On professional front, I work in Human Resources function. Over two and half decades, I have worked across multiple industries and cultures. I focus on Leadership Development, Talent Management, Visioning and Culture, Large-scale change, Employee Listening & Engagement, Employee Well-being, Inclusive work culture, HR effectiveness, Behavior and Mind-set shifts through sustained interventions
I currently lead Organization Effectiveness Function for Aditya Birla Group, a $44.3 billion conglomerate with 120000 employees across 35 countries.
I sincerely hope that you will enjoy reading my blog. I look forward to your thoughts and suggestions.
Thank you!
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Perspectives 