October 27, 2017
We hold these truths to be self-evident
My son and I have been taking karate classes together twice a week for the past two and a half years or so.
Before each class, we recite “The Student’s Creed” which goes like this:
I will develop myself in a positive manner and avoid anything that would reduce my mental growth or physical health. I will develop self-discipline to bring out the best in myself and others. I will use common sense before self-defense and never be abusive or offensive. Rocky’s American Karate is a black belt school, we are dedicated, we are motivated, we are committed to being our best.
The creed is an important part of the social fabric of the school community. This is partly because we perform a group ritual twice a week. But much more importantly, the creed reflects the spirit of what we’re all working on together.
If the wording reflected a different spirit (e.g., “We will break the legs of anyone who approaches us on the street!”), I would not have joined.
Tonight, my good friend Kai Davis and I were chatting about what makes a good online community, and it got me thinking about The Student’s Creed at karate. I started wondering what “the creed” would be for an online community of freelancers and consultants?
When I asked myself, “what truths do I hold to be self-evident in my work?” the following three assertions came to mind immediately:
- My work has value
- My clients are never the problem
- My deliverable is customer satisfaction
I’d love to know what you think...
Do you disagree with any of these? Did I leave something out? Are they too simplistic? Too biased?
Hit reply and let me know :)
Happy Friday!
Yours,
—J