some abstract thing. I hope you don’t mind, but may I ask, “Who

do you think you are?”

Be honest. When you stand before the mirror and look at

yourself, what do you see…someone who is just right or someone

who is too fat, too slow, too average, too short, too dark

skinned, too pale? Do you ever wish the person looking back at

you were smarter, thinner, richer, more popular, or more

beautiful?

When you consider your life and identity, what do you think?

These are critical questions that have everything to do with

whether you live in joy and fullness, or in misery and lack.

Let’s look at a most amazing insight that hit me just a few

moments ago. Sitting before me are two watches I own. The first

one has a metallic band of silver and gold. The face is golden

and at every five minute interval there is a precious stone. On

the face is inscribed the following information: “Superlative

Chronometer. Officially Certified. Oyster Perpetual. Rolex.” It

represents a sophisticated showpiece with a price too scandalous

to mention.

The second watch has a broad strap made of dark fabric with a

strip of Velcro that fastens one end to the other. The back of

the case is solid steel, but the face is a black plastic-based

material. The readout is digital and on the face are inscribed

these words: “Aqualite. Alarm Chronograph. 1/100 Seconds

Stopwatch.” I bought this watch for $9.99 from the bargain bin

at a mass retail store several years ago. In fact, the original

watchband broke and I paid $11 for the current strap …more than

the price of the watch!

Now here’s the amazing part. I love the Aqualite watch. The

Rolex is worn only to fancy social or business occasions, but I

can’t wait to switch to the Aqualite when I return home. The

fabric band is comfortable on my skin. I’ve had this timepiece

for about six years, changed the battery once, and it has NEVER

failed to work. It’s time is precise, impeccable, unvarying and

dependable to the second.

Not only is it a stop watch, it tells the day of the week, the

date…a.m or p.m.…it alarms, it has a night light, glows in the

dark and more.

I once jumped into a pool and got the Aqualite so wet that I

couldn’t see through the glass. I drained it out and left it in

the sun for a few hours. When I came back, it was working like a

charm. I’ve stepped on it, hit it and dropped it on concrete.

How can something so plain on the outside be so powerful and

resilient on the inside?

The Rolex has a self-winding mechanism that rotates as I wear

it. If I put it down for a couple days, it stops working. I’ve

often grabbed it and run to a meeting. The motion would make it

start working again, but the time would be wrong. It performs

basic watch-functions, but it’s a spectacular showpiece that

makes some people stop and stare. Some have even commented and

asked me to let them hold it.

And yes, I am guilty of the materialism and crass showmanship

that cause me to wear it in public. But deep down, I know the

real treasure lies in my Aqualite…faithful, strong, unstoppable

and consistent.

Do you get the point of this analogy? So then, when you look at

yourself, what do you see? You and I live in a world where the

value attributed to people is too often based on surface

appearance. The fine folk that appear in the magazines and

profile on television…they are most often the ones with beauty

and charm on the surface. The ones who get recognition for being

wonderful are most often those with pedigree, position and

titles.

If you are fortunate to have those things, be cautious. Be

careful about people who give you attention and praise for

things they observe on the outside that equate with their

picture of success. True identity does not rest mainly on social

stature, popularity and other superficial measures.

Don’t get me wrong. Just being packaged in beauty, glitz and

glamour does not make a person bad on the insides. But it is

also true that being packaged in materials of more ordinary,

common sorts does not indicate the person’s true value or

potential. It’s what’s inside that counts.

Yes. Physical beauty is wonderful; social graces are fine;

popularity is good, and yes, packaging does matter. Relish them

if you have them, but don’t be seduced. If your sense of true

self…your identity…is based on these things, then please tell me

this. When the wrinkles mar your face, will that make you less

of a person? When your money runs low and your fancy friends

fade away, will that make you less of a person? When nobody else

is there to admire you, are you still beautiful?

Do this exercise. First step: stop and think for a moment about

one person you know who is really living the great life…however

you may define it. Second step: think of three to five

attributes of that person’s life that make you hold him or her

in such high esteem Third step: for each of those attributes,

give that person a score on a ten-point scale where 1 is worst

and 10 is best. Fourth and final step: give yourself a score on

each of those same attributes. Stop and do it now.

What do you find? Most people doing this exercise, rate

themselves far lower than the person they hold in esteem. Too

often, the basis for such rating differences is not the true

measure of ability and character, but less noble factors.

Far too often, we esteem the strengths of others and overlook

their flaws, but we embellish our own flaws and overlook our

strengths. Where do we get this self-deprecating trait? Well,

for most of us, if we ask society to value us, we may end up

with a price tag of $9.99…a label that hides the wealth, value,

contribution and inherent power we have inside.

There is another way to live. Without being arrogant or

egotistical, you can live with the calm confidence that your

life matters; you are a special, powerful being, created and

called to a life of greatness; given power to touch the lives of

others who haven’t yet found their way. Believe this and act

upon it day by day, and it will change your feelings, your

results and your very life.

And should popularity, wealth and big brand name get written

on your face, you'll handle it with poise and charm, because

you’ve learned to look inside instead.

Take it from me: this attitude will give you altitude.

Alvin