Writing a Personal Creed
January is all about new beginnings and setting new goals. While it may be tempting to do what I did one year: set a goal to watch more movies–it may not be the best way to actually improve yourself, which is, ultimately, why we set goals. I did, by the way, accomplish that goal very well that year. It turns out, it’s not too hard to fit a lot of movies into a year. I don’t know how much it really improved my character and self-esteem, though. I learned that sometimes it’s good to have a direction so you know where you’re going when you set goals.
While you’re thinking about new goals, consider writing a Personal Creed. Dr. Randy Hyde says that one of the best ways to feel good about yourself is to live up to your values or what you think is right. In his book, Teen Miracle, he said, “Self-esteem grows as you achieve and accomplish your goals, and progress toward becoming the kind of person you want to be.”
Dr. Hyde often assigns people he treats in therapy to write a Personal Creed, so they can start to develop self-esteem and take control of their lives. A Personal Creed is a statement of your values, a declaration of your guiding principles. It is what you want to be according to what you think is important. It is the why behind goal setting.
Some tips from Dr. Hyde on writing a Personal Creed include:
- State your creed in the form of an affirmation as if you had already accomplished it.
- Start by writing down what is most important to you, including your thoughts, feelings and wants.
- Think about what you want to accomplish in life and how it relates to what you believe.
- Think about what principles you think are important.
- Review your creed daily with your goals, and even consider recording your creed in your own voice so you can listen to it daily.
A Personal Creed is a powerful way to work toward becoming the person you want to be, so at the end of your life you have more to show for it than a list of movies you saw.
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