Tuesday I began a series called “10 for 25.” It’s a series of ten lessons I have learned in my twenty-five years at TreeHouse. Today: Who do I want to become?

As a child I wanted to be heroic. When I played super-heroes with some of my neighborhood friends. I wanted to be bold like Hawkeye, fly like Nighthawk and have the courage of Captain America. I still love the Avengers, in fact I’m reading issue 150 (see photo) today.

As heroic as I fantasized becoming, I’ve learned that it’s more important to Be Yourself rather than try to be someone you’re not.

Who Are You?

Most of us are quick to assess (that’s a nice way to say it) or judge others by a standard of our own. Unfortunately, I found myself falling short of the standards I set for others. Fortunately, I think I was knocked down enough times and knocked down hard enough to set a new standard: I decided who I wanted to become.

I willfully decided to “become the person I wish everyone else was.”

That might sound weird to you, but it makes perfect sense to me.

That goal – to “become the person I wish everyone else was” – pretty much guarantees that I will never settle for who I am nor ever find room to complain why someone else hasn’t lived up to my standards. It’s an unrealistic expectation to “become the person I wish everyone else was”  so it keeps me aware how hard it is to try to live by my own high expectations.

“They” should all be kind, therefore I should be very kind.
“They” should all be generous, therefore I should be generous.
“They” should all be honest, therefore I should be very honest.
“They” should all be trustworthy, therefore I should be trustworthy.
“They” should all be good drivers, therefore I should be a good driver.
“They” should all be law-abiding, therefore I should be law-abiding.
“They” should all be reliable, therefore I should be very reliable.
“They” should all be loving, therefore I should be very loving.
“They” should all be wise, therefore I should be very wise.

Why have I heard hundreds of times how much people appreciate that I am “not judgmental”?  It’s because it’s important for me to not expect something of other people that I would not expect of myself.

Who Am I?

While eating lunch during my first year at TreeHouse I opened my Bible and read these words describing the life of Levi: “True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin.” 1

In the life of Levi I saw truthfulness, honesty, peacefulness, honor and courage. I wanted his legacy to be mine too.

It’s our responsibility to set a goal, identify standards, have vision and pursue a mission. It’s other people who have the responsibility of determine legacies. I’m not sure – other than God – who would be my assessor, judge or jury but in the meantime I know who I want to become.

#mysilentscream: I want to “become the person I wish everyone else was.”

1 – Malachi 2:6, NIV