My Values &
What I Stand For
My parents adopted my sister and me when we were first born. I have kept in contact with my birth family throughout the years and have a great relationship with them. My mom and dad believe that a family that fishes & prays together, stays together! Sometimes they go a little too far like the time they ordered fishing jerseys for the entire family to make their point. You can imagine how hard we laughed on that day as we posed for this picture. Regardless, I have learned so many incredible values from them that has helped me as I have grown. I will share my favorites below.
Values
The things that I believe
Be HonestAll the time | Be Honest in all that you do. Never sacrifice your integrity. Your honesty will pay you far more dividends in life. Kharma will also come and get you 🙂 |
Choose the Right and not the DUMBTrue Wisdom | When I was just three years old, I created a catch phrase that has stuck with me all these years. I said, "Choose the right and not the dumb". I believe a lot of life's misfortunes can be avoided with just good decisions. |
GRIND WHEN YOU DON'T WANT TO GRINDALL THE TIME | I once heard the saying "You can make up in numbers what you lack in experience" I may not have as much experience as the person I am fishing against, but I will WIN 99% of the time because I will go further, work harder and cover more water during a tournament than any other person. I have done this to the point of puking off the back of the boat. If you think you can outfish me, think again...the only thing stopping me is the clock. When time is on my side, I will win every time. |
Clean LanguageBecause Moma Said So. | There is a saying "You will not be condemned by the words of your enemies, but instead the words that come out of your own mouth" I do not swear, tell crude jokes, laugh at your jokes, talk bad about people or make people feel bad. Words are the most powerful tool on this earth to do good or bad. I choose to do good. |
Bringing back class!When given the chance | I am bringing back class! I make an effort to open the door for my mom, my sister, and any female. It shows respect, it builds their confidence and helps them feel valued in this world. It might be the one thing that brightens their day! |
DONT JUDGEBecause Jesus says so. | I strive to not be so critical about those I fish with. Nobody is perfect and everyone has faults. Being a true friend means I look beyond weaknesses and try to find the strengths in the people I associate with. When I do this, for some reason they in turn magnify those positive attributes, and reflect them out when I associate with them. |
Say NOBefore you are asked | When do you start working on the ARK? When it starts to rain? NO, when you are first asked. I do not drink, smoke, or do any type of drugs. I believe that if you make that decision before you are ever asked to participate, you will already have the answer and the courage to say...NO!. One thing that helps me to say no is that I already know why I am saying no. My reason is simple, I am a tournament fisherman that must avoid all forms of abusive materials. I cannot associate with them because of my sponsors, coaches, co-anglers, parents, and others that rely on me to represent the sport I am participating in... and oh one more thing... it is super unhealthy and will destroy your life. |
Show GratitudeBecause they deserve it | I believe we should take the time to tell those that help us "Thank you". I will never forget the words of my fishing coach Clif Gallagher. We were at our annual banquet and he was giving me a custom rod with my name on it, as an award for achieving Angler of the Year. He said, "Jordan is a great fisherman, but what impressed me, even more, is that he called me after every tournament and thanked me for organizing the event and providing him an opportunity to fish it." |
Be DependableALL THE TIME | If you commit to something, DO IT. If you can't then show enough respect to the person you are committed to by letting them know as soon as you can. Don't leave people hanging, that's not cool. |
celebrate the winsYou earned it | Harvard Business Review says “Change and growth are promoted through positive emotions more than through disciplined practice.” Progress is hard won early in a challenge (the launch point on the S Curve). It can be discouraging and require painful perseverance. So why wouldn’t we celebrate the early victories, no matter how small? Leading behavioral scientist, B.J. Fogg, explains the link between emotions and habits. Habit formation is not, as conventional wisdom claims, a matter of 21 days of consistent practice. Celebrating small wins stimulates dopamine release in the brain, a feel-good chemical that reinforces the learning experience and strengthens our sense of connection to those we work with. Change and growth are promoted through positive emotions more than through disciplined practice. |