This section can be summarised in these few words: I value people and good relationships, and my goals are to contribute to that.
Values are something that every person has. They are often things that we share with others and often they are sources of conflict. Yet each and everyone of us has their own unique set of values, which are by no means static. As we get older, wiser, and more educated our values will change – maybe not as drastically as one might think. One of the things I value is how we interact with the people, which can be elegantly summarised with the Golden Rule: “Treat others how you would want them to treat you.” It embodies kindness, compassion, generosity, and empathy; all things that we as people should strive for.
In doing so I like to emphasise the importance of commitment and accountability. I like to believe that a promise made is a promise kept, as failure to do so can really damage your relationship with other people. When I make a commitment I generally try to follow through with it, and while sometimes it is indeed not possible to do so, I strongly feel that you should only make promises you can keep. It is a matter of respecting the people that you deal with and also yourself.
Besides maintaining decency, I also count myself incredibly fortunate to have a great network of friends, family, and colleagues who make life a whole lot more bearable. I appreciate their company, support, and – most humbly – their criticism. The people in my life keep me grounded, happy, and sane as I am sure is the case for whoever is reading this. In short: they help me keep it real.
As mentioned above, my general goals serve to contribute to the people in my life and the relationships that come with them. I want to be able to create a good life for my family and I, as well as be a positive influence in the lives of my future students. I guess, ideally I have the long-term goal of developing my very own skill-specific education program, but that’s a long way down the road… or not.