"The U.S. has gathered a great deal of information about UAPs." Congressman Chuck Schumer Select Committee on Intelligence member

RECOGNITION AND DEDICATION COMPETENCY

Helpers use various models to help understand clients, design strategies, and attain goals. I've incorporated the best parts of several models to create my own. I call it Recognition and Dedication Competency (RDC). This model has clients remain dedicated to their personal values as they navigate a complex UAP reality.

I describe RDC by using the fork in the road analogy. As you travel down the road of life, you encounter a fork. An arrow points to the left toward WANT. Another points to the right toward BEST. It's unwise to bear left because many things we want are bad for us. It's wise to bear right because doing what is best is always, well, best. You encounter another fork. An arrow points to the left toward HAPPINESS. Another points to the right toward VALUES. It's unwise to bear left because happiness is vague, difficult to attain, impossible to sustain, and followed by disappointment. It's wise to bear right because a life rich in values is a fulfilling life. To determine your values, complete these three recognition steps.

Recognition Step 1  Below are fifty values. When you see one that's "very important" to you, write it down. Whatever you think the word means, that's what it means. Choose as many as you'd like.

Adventure - Authenticity - Balance - Beauty - Challenge - Communication - Community - Compassion - Connection - Courage - Creativity - Fairness - Family - Freedom - Friendship - Fun - Generosity - Gratitude - Health - Hindsight - Home - Honesty - Hope - Humor - Independence - Joy - Justice - Leadership - Learning - Love - Nature - Optimism - Order - Passion - Patience - Power - Privacy - Respect - Responsibility - Risk - Romance - Safety - Security - Sex - Spirituality - Teamwork - Trust - Wealth - Winning - Wisdom

Recognition Step 2  Among the values you have written down, mindfully go through them again, keeping only the ones that are "critically important" to you. Choose as many as you'd like.

Recognition Step 3  Among the remaining values, choose the "most important" ones. Choose ten. These are your most important values. Repeat these recognition steps yearly. 

Now complete these three dedication steps.  

Dedication Step 1  With your ten most important values listed vertically in no particular order, read each one aloud and tell yourself aloud why it's so important to you.

Dedication Step 2  Next to each value, record a 0 to 10 response to the question, "How much of this value is present in my environment?" 0 is none. 10 is a ton. Your environment is holistically comprised of ten components: homelife, worklife, geographic location, leisure, romantic partners, friends, acquaintances, possessions, mental health status, and physical health status.

Dedication Step 3  Any score of 5 or below requires action. Let's say Humor is one of your most important values but it got a 3. Determine why, design strategies to raise it, and take action. Watch a funny movie, read a funny book, spend more time with clever friends, attend standup, or learn standup. Any score of 6 or above requires maintenance. Let's say Nature is one of your most important values and it got an 8. Determine why, design strategies to maintain it, and take action. Engage with nature with the same frequency and intensity, or do even more to raise the score. Repeat these dedication steps monthly. 

Now complete these three competency steps.   

Competency Step 1  Realize and confirm you are competent. Do this however you see fit. This may include verbalizing, journaling, leaving yourself written reminders, or accepting verbal affirmations. 

Competency Step 2  Take action. If you're assertive, you decide outcomes. If you're passive, life does. Never reach that stage. Plan, take action, assess, adjust. Do something. Repeat these competency steps daily.

Competency Step 3  Do these ten things.

Do hard things - Be tough - Be kind - Have purpose, mission, and meaning - Realize you are not entitled to anything from anyone - Never apologize if you did nothing wrong - Remember that life is hard for everyone - Behave as if your personal hero is observing you - Surround yourself with people who bring out the best in you - Pursue your own success instead of coveting that of others