Today, June 6, is my beloved husband Mike’s birthday! I want to publicly wish him a very happy day—celebrating together is such a joy and blessing, and I thank God each year we are able to do so.

This year we will be celebrating Mike’s birthday in Charleston, South Carolina, with dear friends and military colleagues. We will also be celebrating the life of Mike’s military colleague, Gale Rickert, who passed away a few months ago. Mike served many years in the Air Force with this amazing friend.

One of the things that makes my partnership with Mike work so well is that we both know each other’s value AND our own value. We understand that it’s more than just our relationship with each other, but our relationship with ourselves—that is, how one views themself and values their worth—that leads to personal fulfillment.

And how much you value yourself isn’t just linked to your happiness, level of confidence, and interpersonal relationships; it’s inextricably connected to your success in business.

There is an excellent sermon by pastor and New York Times bestseller Joel Osteen about the power of knowing your worth and recognizing the source of your value. If you’re a person of faith, as I am, you believe that your value comes from the Creator. Nothing and no one has the power to change your innate, God-given worth or potential.

I would like to share some ideas that struck me while listening to Joel Osteen’s sermon that could not only improve your quality of life, but also empower you to overcome obstacles in your business.

How do you measure your self-worth?

Too many business owners and professionals I’ve met over the years base their value on how people treat them or how successful they are.

Letting these external things dictate your value is incredibly dangerous. If you base your value on how others treat you, when someone does something to hurt you or disappoint you, you feel devalued.

For instance, when some entrepreneurs lose a client or customer, receive a negative review, or aren’t invited back to speak at a conference, they feel it’s a reflection of their worth.

Similarly, if you base your value on your achievements or material success – how much you earn, what clothing brands you wear, what car you drive, the awards you’ve won – then if you lose your position or have a downturn in your business, you’ll feel as if your worth has decreased.

Too often, when a professional faces obstacles and disappointing setbacks – an inevitable part of growing a business – they feel a sense of failure and inadequacy that deeply affects their sense of self-worth.

The danger of attributing your value to how people treat you, your sales performance, your net worth, or a myriad of other external factors is that all these things can change and many aren’t within your control. When you assign value based on these things, you run the risk of having your self-worth crumble when you make mistakes or encounter struggles.

You Don’t Have to “Prove” Your Value

I am a strong believer that self worth doesn’t come from the actions, judgments, or reactions of others. It comes from within. The only type of value or self worth you have any control over is the value you place on yourself. A large part of developing self-worth is understanding that you are innately worthy of love, happiness, and success.

This is a fundamental lesson for business leaders to internalize.

You didn’t achieve your sales goals last year? You’re still worthy.

You received a critical review from a customer despite working your hardest to serve them? You’re still worthy.

You aren’t able to buy your dream home or take your dream vacation yet? You’re still worthy.

Your self-worth needs to be rooted in an understanding that you were put on this earth because you serve an important purpose. You are unique. You are worthy today and every day. You have greatness within you.

You have immeasurable value regardless of your performance or your income, regardless of the awards and recognitions you receive, and regardless of the level of influence and social status you attain.

Your value is who you are at the core, it’s how you treat the people in your life, it’s your integrity, and it’s your desire for growth and self-actualization.

Understanding Your Value Will Liberate You to Succeed

When you wake up each morning, before you set out to accomplish daily goals in your business, make sure you know who you are and the value you have irrespective of the no’s you’ll hear and the obstacles you’ll face.

Remember: you don’t have to prove your worth; you are and always have been worthy. Use this knowledge to carry yourself with confidence. Never give anyone or anything the power to make you feel inferior, incapable, or undeserving.

When you recognize your value, you liberate yourself from the fears, self-doubts, and judgments that weigh you down and hold you back from achieving greatness.

At Celeste Giordano Coaching, the business professionals and entrepreneurs I work with learn to stop constantly trying to prove their value to their critics, competitors, coworkers, and even friends and family. When they look within themselves and understand their innate value, they are able to perform infinitely better with less stress and greater peace of mind.

Rather than tirelessly working on trying to prove something, earn acceptance, or outperform their competitors, they begin each day by recognizing their true value. In doing so, they are able to develop the mindsets and execute the strategies necessary to pave their own destinies and build prosperous legacy businesses.

Contact me today to tap into your true potential and learn systems that will help you “double plus” your income THIS year.

But remember, regardless of your income, your accolades, and your performance, you are worthy right now in this moment. As a perfect creation of God, you have a unique potential and purpose.