Thinking about... achievement

As the year turned, I made vision cards to serve as touchstones for my goals for this year. Recently I've been inspired to create similar cards to express my values. When I was working on them, I had the most interesting experience. A certain value kept popping its head into the process, one that is not on my top 10 value list. It kept pulling at my sleeve and tapping on my shoulder. Just like my cat it would just step on whatever I was doing and insist on being seen.

So, yes, I have to acknowledge Value #11: Achievement.

One of my values is Creating/Building and I had thought it encompassed achievement, but it doesn't. What's probably more true is I thought I could hide Achievement in there where no one would notice and judge me, but I could still have it. It's very clear out there that it's not okay to want to achieve. (Suzie wrote about this powerfully in her reaction to A New Earth). It's seen as negative, ego-driven and selfish to want to achieve, and this seems particularly so if you're female.

The first person I mentioned this secret value to is a really supportive, kind person and she said, "Well, society does program us to want to achieve." I love that she said that for so many reasons. One it demonstrated how in my beautiful circle of independent-minded, creative-thinking people, achievement is thought of something that those other people do. You know, those conforming, materialistic, driven achievers. Those people who don't understand it's about process and the now and meaning, not money, recognition, fame and power. And also, she expressed a view that a desire for achievement is somehow inauthentic, something programmed in, something external.

So, here's the thing. I hearby fully claim my value of achievement. This isn't society or corporations or my dad or anyone else talking. This is me. I care if I do well. I care if I make a contribution, and it is recognized - by others and financially. I am committed to being top-notch at what I do. AND, I am deeply committed to process, to the way of seeing that is only possible when you let yourself be here, now. These two things are not mutually exclusive. There is room for both of these energies in your life - the yin and the yang, the God and the Goddess - if you want there to be.

What's your take on achievement?