Authentic Excellence: Flourishing and Resilience in a Relentless World

Description

Never before have the pressures of a comparative and competitive world impacted on our sense of wellbeing, particularly among young adults. Building on the principles of Giving Voice to Values, which honors the complexity and difficulty of leading with our values, this book addresses the unique challenges faced by young adults. It provides a clear process that details how to harness natural wisdom to flourish through the relentless pace and pressure of today’s world. Moving beyond mere values clarification, Authentic Excellence helps the reader to develop a deeper relationship with their values and confidently express them, and builds effective coping skills to manage the relentless noise of our comparative and competitive world. Authentic Excellence answers five primary questions: How are young adults affected by this world of relentless change and pressure? Why are young adults vulnerable to a plateau that can negatively affect their resilience? What is the difference between fear-based excellence and authentic excellence and what role do values play in this distinction? What is necessary to move beyond fear-based excellence and why is it so hard? How do you train a deeper level of effectiveness that includes more consistent productivity, fulfillment and resilience? Cover Endorsement Half Title Series Information Title Page Copyright Page Table of contents Foreword Acknowledgments Part I Understanding the plateau effect 1 Introduction: Flourishing and resilience in a relentless world Authentic Excellence: What’s in a name? The concepts Your training Key points Personalizing the concepts For younger teens and professionals who work with young adults References Notes 2 Values: The ironic precursor to the plateau effect Key points Personalizing the concepts Notes 3 Stuck at good: The plateau effect The “What if” moment Fear of failure across generations Explaining the plateau effect But why specifically does this create a plateau effect? How do transitions amplify the plateau effect? Key points Personalizing the concepts Notes 4 Secondary vulnerabilities of fear-based excellence The need for equity and fairness Guilt and judgment Competing values Key points Personalizing the concepts Notes Part II Understanding and training for Authentic Excellence 5 Moving beyond our neurology to Authentic Excellence Shifting from… Dynamic Blueprinting Training for Authentic Excellence Step 1 Key points Personalizing the concepts Notes 6 Paradigm Shift 1: Shifting from values clarification to values relationship Exercise: Getting to know your values Reflections on your high priority values Reflections on all 14 values Further considerations Story connection Values categories High Priority values Over-Attention values Under-Attention values Medium/Low Priority values Key points Notes 7 Paradigm Shift 2: Shifting from equity-minded to integrity-minded Dynamic Blueprint exercise: Your values in action Your values in action Examples Value: Concern for others Value: Creativity Value: Health and activity Category effect Macro perspective Examples Value: Concern for Others Value: Creativity Value: Health and Activity Cognitive strain/cognitive ease Key points Personalizing the concepts Reference Notes 8 Paradigm Shift 3: Shifting from fear reduction to holding fear well Rethinking fear of failure Strategy #1: Moving from perceiving fear as an emotion of threat to an emotion of importance Strategy #2: Moving from perceiving failure as a personal statement to an experience of worthy disappointment Strategy #3: Moving from perceiving hurt as awful (requiring protection) to viewing hurt only as difficult Strategy #4: Shifting from experiential confidence to volitional confidence Strategy #5: Moving from striving for passion, happiness, potential, and balance to striving for purpose, meaning, expression, Strategy #6: Moving from perceiving outcomes as life-critical “have to”s to life-enhancing “want to”s Key points Personalizing the concepts References Notes 9 Paradigm Shift 4 Shifting from avoidance of difficult emotions to confidence in managing difficult emotions Stress and values Stress within roles Stress between roles Stress of managing too many values Internal conflict Anger Processing principles for difficult emotions Coping Step 1: Honor the reaction, challenge any conclusions Coping Step 2: Commit to self-care for the health of it (not to feel better) Coping Step 3: Do something of personal rightness (focus on a value while affected) Coping and social support Conclusions Key points Personalizing the concepts References Notes 10 Paradigm Shift 5: Shifting from a chronically evaluative mindset to an expressive mindset Five daily action steps Step 1: Values-based intentionality Step 2: Volitional confidence and imagery Step 3: Engagement with experiential acceptance Step 4: Compassion and appreciation Step 5: Analysis and reflection Key points Personalizing the concepts References Notes 11 Putting it all together: Dynamic Blueprinting Action Plan Key point Notes Part III Special considerations for flourishing and resilience 12 Values profile of young adults Values profile of emerging and young adults, aged 17–29, n = 117,449 High Priority Over-Attention Under-Attention Medium/Low Priority Key points Personalizing the concepts Notes 13 Sensitivity, giftedness, and values: The active-minded, active-hearted young adult Giftedness Key points Personalizing the concepts References Notes 14 Creativity and values LVI for the creative life Creative Expressions Creation and Project Construction Learning Technique Brainstorming and Outlining Performing Editing and Organizing Creative life roles Income Work Art Career Other Mediums Art Adjacent Work Relationships Leisure and Community Activities Key points Personalizing the concepts Notes 15 Transition and values Planned or proactive transitions Values visioning Work role Leisure role Relationship role Unplanned transitions Internal transitions Key points Personalizing the concepts References Notes 16 Leadership and team development Assessing team values Key points Personalizing the concepts References Notes 17 Decision-making and values Undecided versus indecisive: Avoiding the plateau effect when making decisions How do we avoid these pitfalls when it comes to decision-making? Key points Personalizing the concepts Notes 18 Conclusion: Redefining authenticity, trust, and compassion Redefining authenticity Redefining trust and compassion: The core of flourishing and resilience Trust Compassion Distilled practice Distilled Strategy A: Three-step daily practice Distilled Strategy B: Four-step daily mindset Key points Notes Appendix A: Life Values Inventory Appendix B: Dynamic Blueprinting Action Plan Appendix C: Life Values Inventory (LVI) references and previous publications