Everyone has values. We all have people, relationships, ideals and purposes we deem important. Whether constructive or damaging, our values are what determine our life choices. When it comes to leadership in the locker room, our families and our communities, it's not a matter of simply having values -- it's about defining those values and staying committed to them. Throughout my career, they have served as an anchor, or counterbalance, checking my pride in victory and lifting my head in defeat.
Here are four values that guide my way:
Respect
The locker room is full of men from myriad backgrounds. Discussing our different views on everything from politics and religion to music and favorite foods while still respecting each other is the only way to learn from each other. Even if we never agree, it is important that we feel free to express our views without being denigrated or dismissed.
Work ethic
My parents taught their six children to always give 100 percent in everything. My father would joke, "If you're going to be a bank robber, be the best robber you can be!" They instilled in us a sense of pride, not solely in our results, but in the hard work, dedication, perseverance and sacrifice it took to get there. As an athlete, husband and father, that lesson has served me well, pushing me to persevere in success and failure alike.
Integrity
The NFL goes to great lengths to protect what it calls "the integrity of the game." The same should be said for us as individuals. Integrity, the truthful interaction of word and deed, not only creates leaders in the locker room who are worthy of being followed, it is also vital for success at home. This "wholeness" of character compels us to be involved in our communities, striving to serve those who support us in our various team cities and hometowns. It challenges us to do the right thing even in private, with the same conviction we have when we are in the public eye.
Identity
One thing I struggled with early in my career was the delicate balance between my performance and my identity. When things on the field went well, I was cheerful and felt important. When things went poorly, my countenance and self-concept plummeted, and I was not pleasant to be around. During that time, a veteran teammate told me that when I get home, football must stay at football. He said that if I have to sit in the garage and decompress for 20 minutes, so be it. No matter how great or terrible the day or game was, when I walk in the door, I am husband, I am daddy, I am ... Benjamin.
I had to learn that, while I should, as a professional, pride myself on doing my job with excellence, the job is simply that, and my value as a human being is not contingent upon my performance. It's a difficult balance to achieve in such a results-driven business, but I've found that I've been most successful on and off the field when I learned that it's not all about me, when I've given myself the freedom to fail. We must always remember that who we are -- and, most importantly, whose we are -- is infinitely greater than what we do for a living.
Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Whether in the locker room, the community or at home, our goal should not be to simply behave in a specific way. It should instead be to instill the correct values in our hearts, so that our actions will flow out unimpeded, confirming what we truly believe. By deciding to live our lives based on solid values and unwavering truth, we can leave a legacy for the young men and boys who want nothing more than to follow in our footsteps.
Benjamin Watson is the New Orleans Saints' nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. Follow him on Twitter @BenjaminSWatson.