Award Yourself These

“Strive not be a success, but rather to be of value.” - Albert Einstein

Seek understanding over validation. Take care of business and recognition will come. Note these recommendations from the Harvard Business Review, "Our Dangerous Obsession with External Recognition." 

First, we distance ourselves from the fundamental growth engine of our careers.

Your career arc depends on skill acquisition in multiple areas (school, business, sports) and your ability to translate learning into high performance. 

Second, we misallocate our time and attention.

Time spent in self-promotion robs from time invested in learning, communication, and training. 

Third, we alienate critical nodes in our professional networks. 

In team sports, athletes seen as publicity hounds may earn the label of "not a team player" or "credit hogs." Coach Dean Smith made it a point to credit team members who impacted winning although getting less attention in the mainstream media. 

We can't award ourselves external validation. Live lives of commitment, discipline, effort, integrity, and even sacrifice and those behaviors will boost your performance and your recognition.

When you get the opportunity for interviews, share credit with your coaches, teammates, and families. Sharing reflects back on you. 

Lagniappe. Robert Fulghum said it well in All I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.