How could Jackie Robinson’s values guide me?

Instructions

Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball and went on to fight for equality and justice beyond the field.  His life and career exemplify nine values that can guide us all to live well and make a difference in the world: courage, determination, teamwork, persistence, integrity, citizenship, justice, commitment, excellence. How do these values guide you? 

Audience

Your audience is anyone who might be inspired by Jackie Robinson’s example.

Purpose

To share your appreciation for Jackie Robinson’s nine values and explore how those values might guide your decisions and behavior now and in the future. The values are…

1. Courage: doing the right thing even when it’s hard to do
2. Determination: staying focused on a plan even though the path to its end may be difficult
3. Teamwork: working with other people toward a common goal
4. Persistence: working toward a goal and continuing to move forward even though you face obstacles
5. Integrity: sticking to your values, regardless of what others think you should do
6. Citizenship: making a contribution that improves the lives of others
7. Justice: treating all people fairly no matter who they are
8. Commitment: making a promise and following through on it
9. Excellence: doing the best that you possibly can

Process

1. Conceive the task: Before you start to write, think of times when you’ve observed other people living by these values. In what situations have you seen people enact the values? What was the result? Next, think about situations in your own life. What are some times in the past when one or more of these values guided you? How did they help you? What was the result? Now look to the future. How do you envision yourself living by these values as you get older and face obstacles or take on new challenges? 
2. Draft: Now that you’ve reflected on the topic, write a draft targeted toward your specific audience. You probably won’t be able to talk about all nine values. Choose a few to focus on and give specific examples to bring your ideas to life for the reader.
3. Revise: Review your draft for coherence and structure. Are you telling the audience what they need to know and in an order that helps them understand your message? Are you exemplifying your message? 
4. Edit and Polish: Check for correct grammar and spelling. Proofread one more time and make it shine the best you can. 
5. Title: A good title will catch the reader’s attention.

Reflect

Did writing about this topic leave you inspired? Who do you hope reads your piece? What difference could it make for them to hear about these ideas? What next steps could you take to continue spreading this message?