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Knowing Your Values
"Is there anyone you've studied about or met who has left a deep impression on you?" the coach asked Susan.

"I know it sounds odd, but I would have to say Gandhi. Not for the reasons that you might think, though, like his belief in nonviolence. It's because he understood who he was and stood up for himself and what he cared about. You couldn't push him around. Deep down, where it mattered, he stood his ground. He said what was true, without any pretense, no matter what the consequences. He was from the spirit, from the soul. He was authentic."

"And authenticity is what you value?" the coach asked.

"Well, of course," Susan responded with conviction. "If you can't be who you really are, then you're just pretending to live your life. You have to be able to honestly express what you believe—in your words and actions. Gandhi knew this. He was the genuine article."
© Beliefnet, Inc., 2008

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