Sense of pride blossoms from respect for oneself, others Published Feb. 22, 2011 By Chief Master Sgt. Neil Curchin 349th Medical Group TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- I recently had the privilege to attend a family friend's Eagle Scout Court of Honor. To earn the Eagle Scout rank, the highest advancement rank in scouting, a Boy Scout must fulfill rigorous requirements in the areas of leadership, service and outdoor skills. Less than 5 percent of boys who join Boy Scouts of America earn the rank of Eagle Scout. While observing the ceremony, I was struck by the look of pride on the honoree's face and the faces of his family. The same captivating expression was on the faces of those witnessing the event, for all were acknowledging that something special and worthwhile had been achieved. On the drive home, I thought how valuable it would be to maintain that degree of pride each day. The level of personal energy, effectiveness and self-motivation would be incredible. The challenge is how to do this consistently. Often the first step to lasting change is self-examination. I once heard a descriptive approach for conducting a self-assessment of attitude and emotional state. If you were a piece of fruit and someone squeezed you, what would come out? Would the resulting substance be sweet and succulent or bitter and sour? Even more daring would be to ask a family member to answer the question for us. In many ways, actively living our Air Force core values - integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do -- is a means to obtain and sustain pride and confidence. To focus on each of these values is like working an equation. Follow the formula and pride is the result. With pride comes honor and self-respect. Clint Eastwood, when commenting on his success once said, "Respect your efforts, respect yourself. Self-respect leads to self-discipline. When you have both firmly under your belt, that's real power." By discovering and developing pride we can achieve greater satisfaction and fulfillment.