Tell Your Story
Answer the questions posed in question number 1 from the Tell Your Story area on page 162 of Learning to Think Things Through.
•What are some standards that are most important in your life?
In this question, you can focus on either critical-thinking or non-critical-thinking standards (such as the ones on pages 153 or 154). For example, you might hold yourself to a standard of honesty, of ability in sports, of being a good sister or brother.•How did you acquire those standards?
I can give my grandmother credit for sowing the seed of all these standards in me at a very young age, most notably the first core value – Integrity First. My grandmother drove home the ideals of integrity, honesty and truthfulness in very meaningful ways. She convinced me there was no real advantage to lying or being unreliable. And if any trace of doubt was left in my mind, the Air Force spent more than 23 years erasing every tittle. The core values are just that – core to the Air Force. From the most initial indoctrination throughout every fabric of instruction, the core values are reiterated, over and over. And as a result, I can attribute so much of my professional success to the fact, I can be trusted.
I hope that, by now, issues of integrity are of second nature. Actually, I hope integrity has grown to the position of first nature. As for service before self, I’ve re-directed my efforts of serving towards home as opposed to my younger days, when the workplace and my church family received so much of my attention. And the change is due primarily to the fact that I’m now a single parent. My two little boys are the recipients of most of my service these days. Also, I haven’t changed my love for quality and a deep disdain for mediocrity. However, my focus is a little different at this point. For instance, my first priority is to be an “excellent” father. Also, I’m mature enough to know that that might mean some other area(s) may suffer. But that’s a risk I’m willing to take.
