Unlocking Your Value as an Athlete: A Holistic Approach

In sports, the concept of value isn't just about what you bring to the table in terms of performance on the field. It encompasses a wide array of factors that contribute to your overall worth as an athlete, both to yourself and to the organizations you represent. As athletes, understanding and maximizing your value is crucial not only for personal growth but also for building successful and sustainable careers.

Assessing Your Value: Beyond the Hard Costs

Traditionally, when we think of an athlete's value to an organization, we might focus solely on tangible expenses such as athletic fees, uniforms, gear, and transportation. However, true value extends far beyond these hard costs. It encompasses a combination of aspirations, behavior, character, talent, ability, gifts, standards, and other key metrics.

The Personal Value Inventory

To truly understand your value as an athlete, you need to conduct a comprehensive assessment of your skills, attributes, and contributions. This can be achieved through what we call a "Personal Value Inventory." Here's how you can break it down:

1. Aspiration: Define your goals and the impact you aim to have within your team or organization. What do you aspire to achieve, both individually and collectively?
2. Behavior: Evaluate your actions and behaviors within the context of your sport. How do you conduct yourself on and off the field? Rate yourself honestly and consider specific examples of your conduct.
3. Character: Reflect on your personal values, integrity, and qualities that define you as an athlete. Consider your work ethic, discipline, teamwork, and leadership skills. How does your character influence your interactions with others in the sports community?
4. Talent: Identify your innate abilities and natural talents in your chosen sport. What sets you apart from others, and how can you leverage these strengths?
5. Ability: Assess your man-driven abilities—skills and capabilities that you can control and improve through effort and practice. Identify areas of strength and areas for growth.
6. Gift: Determine what makes you unique and the positive contributions you can offer to your team or community. This could include leadership, mentoring, or other skills that set you apart.
7. Standards: Define the level of excellence you bring to your sport. How committed are you to improving, adhering to rules, and achieving high performance standards?
8. Other Key Metrics: Consider quantifiable metrics such as public rankings, brand endorsement value, social media following, merchandise sales, fan engagement, fundraising totals, viewer subscriptions, page views, and return on investment.

Calculating Your Value

Once you've assessed these various aspects of your value as an athlete, it's time to crunch the numbers. Assign weights or scores to each component based on its importance to you and your sports context. Then, combine these scores to calculate your overall Personal Value score.

Compare this calculated value to the costs associated with participating in your sport. If the return on investment exceeds the expenses, you can consider your involvement in the sport valuable.

Maximizing Your Worth

Understanding your value as an athlete goes beyond financial considerations. It's about recognizing your strengths, areas for growth, and the unique contributions you bring to the table. By conducting a thorough assessment of your Personal Value Inventory and regularly reassessing your progress, you can maximize your worth both on and off the field. Remember, your value as an athlete is multifaceted, dynamic, and deeply personal—embrace it, nurture it, and let it guide your journey to success.

Hard Costs Breakdown Areas

These are the fees and hard costs associated with the participation in any sport.

Athletic Fee = $$$

Uniform = $$$

Gear = $$$

Transportation = $$$

Food = $$$

Professional Staff = $$$

Facilities = $$$

Equipment & Tools = $$$

Professional Development = $$$

Insurance = $$$

Miscellaneous = $$$

How To Calculate Your Personal Value Inventory

To calculate a Personal Value Inventory in the context of sports, you can use a combination of self-assessment and measurable metrics related to your aspirations, behavior, character, talent, ability, gifts, standards, and other key metrics.

Assign a weight or score to each aspect of your Personal Value Inventory based on its importance to you and your sports context.

Combine the scores to calculate an overall Personal Value score.

Aspiration

Define your aspirations in sports. What do you want to achieve, and who do you want to be for a team? Write down your goals and the impact you want to have.

Behavior

Assess your actions and behaviors in the context of your sports involvement.  Rate yourself on a scale or provide specific examples.

Character

Reflect on your personal values, integrity, and the qualities that define who you are as an athlete. Consider factors such as work ethic, discipline, teamwork, and leadership. Consider how your character influences your interactions with teammates, coaches, and others in the sports community.‍

Talent

Identify your God-given talents in the sport. These are innate abilities that set you apart. Recognize what makes you naturally skilled or gifted in your chosen sport; what you can multiply - infinite

Ability

Evaluate your man-driven abilities, which are the skills and capabilities you can control and improve through effort, practice, and training. Note areas where you excel and areas for improvement; what you control from effort; Man-driven;

Gift

Determine what makes you extraordinary and what you can give to the team or the sports community. This could be your unique skills, leadership, mentoring, or any other positive contribution;  what you can give - finite

Standards

Define the level of excellence you bring to your sport. Consider your commitment to improvement, adherence to rules, and dedication to achieving high performance standards.

Other key metrics

Evaluate quantifiable metrics related to your sports involvement, including public rankings, brand endorsement value, social media following, merchandise sales, fan engagement (ratings), fundraising totals, viewer subscriptions, page views, and return on investment

Public Rankings = ??

Brand Endorsement Value = $$$

SM following: Attention = potential added exposure and sales

Merchandise sales: Revenue from logo imprinted items

Fan engagement (ratings) = Interaction with News or content

Fundraising total = $$$ attributed because of your involvement

Viewer Subscriptions = $$$ attributed to fans/supporters because of your participation

Page Views

Return on investment

Equals (=) anything over what it costs for you to participate in the sport.

Compare the calculated personal value to the cost of participating in the sport.

If the return on investment is greater than the cost, you may consider your involvement in the sport valuable.

Remember, this process is subjective, and the metrics used may vary based on individual preferences and the specific sport. Regularly reassess your Personal Value Inventory to track your progress and make adjustments as needed.